There are two types of tickets available for Father Christmas at Raby Castle.

Regular Father Christmas at Raby Castle

£32 1 Child and 1 Adult

£9 Additional Adult

• 45 minute performance in The Barons’ Hall full of singing, storytelling and laughter
• A personalised gift given by Father Christmas
• Photography Opportunities

Premium Father Christmas at Raby Castle – the full experience!

£38 1 Child and 1 Adult

£16 Additional adult

• 45 minute performance in The Barons’ Hall full of singing, storytelling and laughter
• A personalised gift given by Father Christmas
• Photography Opportunities
• Access to Raby Castle at Christmas between, 11am – 4pm
• Access to vast Deer Park where red and fallow deer roam, 10am – 4pm
• Access to the stunning 5 acre Walled Gardens, 10am – 4pm

Step back in time to experience a traditional family Christmas at Raby Castle.  For the first time ever the rooms will be beautifully dressed for the festive season, with evergreens, gifts and of course, sumptuous Christmas trees for visitors to experience. Your journey will take you through eight rooms, telling the story of Christmas Day at the castle, from the daybreak thrill of opening a Christmas stocking to an evening of elegant dining and Christmas games.  This special seasonal installation will include never-before seen items from the collections at Raby Castle, from exquisite table decorations to toys and games that were gifts in decades past.

Father Christmas at Raby Castle is a special event and all visitors must purchase tickets as these are not included with your membership. Our loyal members do receive priority access to the tickets if they have ticked ‘yes’ to the marketing preferences.

This year, we will have limited accessible sessions on the ground floor in the Entrance Hall of the Castle.

To book these sessions, please contact admin@raby.co.uk as early as possible as numbers are limited.

Each session will last around 45 minutes from gathering at the gate including the performance and gift presentations

Please arrive within plenty of time to enjoy a hot chocolate and browse the Christmas Shop. You will need to be at the Meet and Greet point at least 10 minutes before your session. There may be a short time to wait outside so please dress appropriately for the weather.

All tickets are digital and will be sent via email. You can print them out or show them on your phone.

It is your responsibility to arrive on time for your time slot. Please plan and check for anything that might delay you, road closures, weather etc. Unfortunately, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed entry or be transferred to another time slot.

There is free car parking at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens. Please follow signage or instructions from staff to parking areas once you arrive.

The Vinery or Garage Cafe will be open during your visit.

Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times when visiting Raby Castle.

There will be time for a quick photo as your child receives their gift from Father Christmas so make sure you bring your camera or a phone that is fully charged with spare memory space!

Due to space limitations, we can only welcome up to 4 accompanying adults per child (subject to availability). Each child ticket includes 1 adult, if you would like to bring an additional adult, please add on an additional adult ticket.

Under 1’s will be classed as ‘babes in arms’ and do not require a ticket unless you’d like them to have the full Christmas experience and receive a gift from Father Christmas and have their name read out as part of the event.

We allow you to decide whether this event is suitable for your child, but it is generally aimed at young children who still believe in the magic of Christmas. Children of all ages will enjoy the spectacle of arriving at Raby Castle and seeing it decorated for Christmas, seeing Father Christmas, listening to and taking part in songs and receiving their gift. They must be able to sit for around 30 minutes of interactive entertainment. Each child taking part in the experience, including receiving a gift, must have a valid ticket for entry.

We suggest bringing a camera and dress appropriately for cold and wet weather as there is a short walk between the Castle and car park and you might be required to wait outside for a short time.

Raby Castle, Staindrop, Darlington, Co Durham, DL2 3AH

Unfortunately, due to the popularity of this event, there are no refunds or cancellations permitted. Please be sure that when you make your reservation, you know exactly which date and which time slot you wish to secure. If you have an extremely unfortunate circumstance, a ticket transfer will be considered subject to availability and an administration charge will apply. The event will still take place in rain or snow and weather cancellations are extremely rare. In the event of cancellation, you will be notified immediately and given a complete refund or the opportunity to reschedule (subject to availability).

You can call the office at Raby Castle on 01833 660202 between the hours of 9am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday, or email admin@raby.co.uk