Attractions across the Harrogate district have reported record levels of interest in their Christmas activities this year.

From visits to Santa’s Grotto to illuminated woodland walks, some of the most popular annual events are still scheduled to go ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic.

However, with some significant events cancelled – including Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Christmas markets – and places at those going ahead reduced to allow for social distancing, tickets have been in high demand.

At RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate, booking opened last week for the annual Glow installation. Held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings up to Christmas, as well as three days before new year, the event sold 25% of its tickets within the first week.

Organisers said they have reduced capacity and introduced a full pre-booking system for the first time in order to control visitor numbers, and they will be implementing the same enhanced cleaning measures currently being used for daytime visits.

However, the annual Stories with Santa sessions have had to be called off because they cannot be held safely under covid restrictions. A spokesman said they were hoping to reinstate the event in 2021. She added:

“As with all visitor attractions, it’s hard to compare numbers for this year and previous years due to the impact of covid. However, taking the last full month of September as an example, September 2020 is the second best September on record for Harlow Carr, even with a booking system in place, which is very encouraging.”

The Alice in Winterland illuminations will open at Lightwater Valley in November.

At Lightwater Valley near Ripon, extra availability has had to be added to the Festive Family Fun days running from late November. New family tickets have been released for Friday nights to enable more people to visit.

The park will be lit with giant lanterns and illuminated sculptures with an Alice in Winterland theme, there will be a stage featuring festive visitors and puppet performances and rides will be open if the weather allows.

Lightwater Valley manager Colin Bowes said:

“We’re delighted with the enthusiastic response we have had from people wanting to attend our festive event.

“Understandably Christmas spirit is in high demand this year, so we’ve decided to add these additional dates to ensure even more families can enjoy our Festive Family Fun event in a safe, socially-distanced way.”

At Harewood House, the Santa experience has already sold out, but the house, grounds and gardens will be transformed with the Upon a Christmas Wish theme from mid-November until January 3.

The venue has more than 20 events taking place in the run-up to Christmas, from shopping experiences to wreath-making workshops as well as festive afternoon teas. Pre-booking is essential and some events are already fully booked.

Other attractions

At Stockeld Park, Christmas Adventure tickets go on sale next week, and are expected to sell out quickly based on the popularity of the venue’s Halloween events.

Brimham Rocks Adventure Farm has just put its Christmas Experience tickets on sale, with limited numbers compared to previous years.

Read more:

• Cut price Xmas trees to help boost Christmas spirit in Knaresborough
• Ripon’s £65,000 plan to light up Christmas

Stump Cross Caverns has opportunities to meet Santa and receive a gift, with advance booking recommended. ‘Rocking’ Santa will meet families of up to six people in the cinema room and organisers said places are already proving popular.

Fountains Abbey is holding Carols by Candlelight on Sundays, December 6 and 13, rather than its usual single date. Full details of its storytime with Father Christmas events will be released nearer the time.

Birchfield Farm has said it will not hold its usual Christmas activities this year.

StrayArt is a monthly column written by Johnny Messum, Director and Founder of art gallery and centre Messum’s Wiltshire, London and Harrogate.  Johnny joined the family business Messum’s of London as a Director in 1999, after studying History of Art at Edinburgh University and working for Christie’s in London. Johnny’s passion is for contemporary art and sculpture. 

Each month he will look at art, exhibitions and events across Yorkshire and sometimes further afield with the aim of guiding and inspiring us. 

At a time when the high streets are in free-fall and we cannot congregate in numbers, we decided to open a new art space in James Street, Harrogate, in July. James Street is the perfect location with its tall, elegant buildings – isn’t it traditionally known as the Bond Street of the North?

Art steps forward in a crisis. Faced with the ongoing uncertainty within our large metropolis, it is in the art galleries, heritage sites and country houses up and down the country where innovation, inspiration and understanding can be found. With my father in the business since the 1960s, I have grown up surrounded by interesting artworks. I believe that we can all be moved by art, literature, music, and architecture – we just do not know when that moment will be – we can be swept off our feet at any moment. That is why it is important to make it a part of our lives.

It gives me great pleasure to contribute to the art scene here in Yorkshire and to share my insights with you once a month. Each week I am now covering 282 miles as I go from my gallery in Cork Street, London, to our tithe barn in Wiltshire and then on to central Harrogate. What could be easier than covering three far flung locations, united by a common purpose?

As I was nearing Harrogate, I passed the sign to one of my favourite places in Yorkshire – the church of St Mary’s in Nun Monkton. Inside the only surviving part of the 12th century Benedictine Priory, there is a hidden gem – a Pre-Raphaelite masterpiece, a stained-glass window made by William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones; with its glowing colours and flowing foliage. I recommend a visit as soon as churches are permitted to reopen.

Image of Virgin Mary and St Anne at Nun Monkton St Mary’s Church. Picture credit: George Westhaver.

I spent the day at our gallery overseeing the installation of a lorry load of sculpture by Leeds born artist Bridget McCrum. Now aged 86, she is having her debut show in Harrogate.

Sculpture by Bridget McCrum

On my return journey I stopped by a brilliant exhibition at Harewood House to see Kate MccGwire’s inspirational installation Menagerie. Material plays such an important part in helping us to understand art. How significant are glass and feathers? Such distinctive and attractive materials they almost don’t need any help from the human hand, so when it is applied by Burne-Jones and Morris in one instance and MccGwire in the other you realise how their technical skills can entwine narrative with natural beauty.

A flow of feathers – one of the sculptures by Kate MccGwire featured in Harewood House. Above image and featured image credit: Jonty Wilde / Harewood House Trust

Next month I shall be talking about the places nearby to see extraordinary sculptures and making suggestions about how to think about placing artworks outside.

As part of our architecture symposium Messum’s  has an online talk on Friday, September 18, by Yorkshire-based art historian, Suzanne Fagence-Cooper about Jane and William Morris. If you are interested in joining, do book your place on our website.

Kate MccGwire’s exhibition at Harewood House is open for viewing from Monday, July 20 to Sunday, October 25 from 11am to 4pm.