Santa is back in Festival Place for 2026, from Sunday 1 November to Christmas Eve. Until 22 November he only works weekends. From Friday 27 November the grotto is open every day.
Tickets are £8 per child, which includes a Christmas present and a wishing coin. Book on the official booking site; Love Basingstoke’s guide lists a £1.50 booking fee per transaction on top. Both Festival Place and the poster in the centre recommend booking ahead, and December weekends at a shopping centre are not where you want to test that advice.
Opening times
These are from the poster in Festival Place, photographed on 4 November 2026. Times can change, so check the booking site before you go.
1 to 22 November: weekends only
| Day | Open |
|---|---|
| Sunday 1 November | 11am – 5pm |
| Saturday 7 November | 10am – 5pm |
| Sunday 8 November | 11am – 5pm |
| Saturday 14 November | 10am – 5pm |
| Sunday 15 November | 10am – 5pm |
| Saturday 21 November | 10am – 6pm |
| Sunday 22 November | 10am – 5:30pm |
The poster gives no weekday times before 27 November, so assume the grotto is closed on November weekdays.
27 November to Christmas Eve: every day
| Dates | Monday to Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 November – 4 December | 10am – 5pm | 9am – 6pm | 9am – 5:30pm |
| 5 – 16 December | 10am – 6pm | 9am – 6pm | 9am – 5:30pm |
| 17 – 23 December | 9am – 6pm | 9am – 6pm | 9am – 5:30pm |
Christmas Eve (Thursday 24 December): 10am – 3pm. The grotto is closed on Christmas Day, by which point Santa has other commitments.
Quiet time on Sundays
The first 30 minutes of every Sunday is a quiet session for families who would prefer a calmer visit. Festival Place’s website describes it as a quiet hour first thing on Sunday mornings, while the poster says 30 minutes. If you need the quieter slot, book the first one of the day:
- 11am on 1 and 8 November
- 10am on 15 and 22 November
- 9am on every Sunday from 29 November
Bringing the dog
The grotto describes itself as dog friendly, so the dog doesn’t have to be left at home with a guilty expression.
Getting there and parking
The grotto is inside Festival Place. The centre’s website has a festive map showing where things are this year.
The car park is directly above the centre (satnav RG21 7BA) and charges from £2.20 for an hour during the day. Basingstoke station is about five minutes’ walk away, and the bus station is built into the centre. Our Festival Place guide has the full parking prices and directions.
Also at Festival Place this Christmas
Festival Place’s “Where Christmas Comes to Life” launch is on Saturday 14 November, 11am – 5pm, with festive workshops, live entertainment and other family activities on Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas. Details are on the Festival Place website.
Weighing it up against Milestones or a farm visit? Our guide to where to see Santa in Basingstoke compares every grotto we know of this year.
Sources
- Visit Santa at Festival Place this Christmas, Festival Place
- What's on, Festival Place
- Where to see Santa in Basingstoke and Deane, Love Basingstoke, October 2026
- Santa's Grotto opening times poster, Festival Place, photographed in the centre by Basingstoke Local, 4 November 2026
