Santa's Grotto in Reading 2026: From 7 Nov, Free at Beale

Reading’s main Santa’s grotto is at Reading Winter Wonderland on Hills Meadow in Caversham, which opens on Saturday 7 November and runs to Sunday 3 January. The cheapest way to see Father Christmas is a few miles west at Beale Wildlife Park, where meeting him is included in the admission price on set December dates.

The quick answer

• Reading Winter Wonderland, Hills Meadow RG4 8DH: grotto open from 7 November, free entry to the fair, grotto tickets bookable online. The organiser says it is “always a sell out”.
• Beale Wildlife Park, Lower Basildon: Father Christmas on 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 to 24 December, included with admission, which is 15% off for December visits.
• Santa afternoon teas at De Vere Wokefield Estate on 13 and 20 December, from £20 for infants to £40 for adults.

Everything below was checked on 3 October 2026 against the organisers’ own pages. Grotto prices for the Winter Wonderland are only shown on its booking system and had not been published anywhere else when we checked.

Reading Winter Wonderland, Hills Meadow

The Christmas fair on Hills Meadow, by the Thames in Caversham, calls its Santa’s grotto its “number one ‘sell out’ attraction”. Every child gets a branded Reading Winter Wonderland gift, and families can take their own photos with Santa (Reading Winter Wonderland).

Which dates? The organiser’s home page says it is open “7th November to 3rd January”, and its booking page says “8th November to 4th January”. The home page matches the planning application, which we covered in our Winter Wonderland story, so 7 November to 3 January is the run to plan around. The opening hours come from the organiser’s FAQ page, which does not give a year, so check them on the booking page before you go. The council’s planning report gives public opening as 11am to 10pm, in line with the premises licence.

The FAQ says grotto tickets are sold at the on-site box office “subject to availability”, that tickets are not refunded but dates can be changed, and that small dogs on leads are allowed. Unlimited ride wristbands are £24 for four hours on the home page, £5 more with ice skating; the FAQ still says £20 and £25, another sign it has not been updated.

The fair’s own planning permission was due to go before the council’s Planning Applications Committee on 7 October. This page will be updated with the decision.

Beale Wildlife Park, free with admission

Beale Wildlife Park at Lower Basildon (RG8 9NW), has made Father Christmas part of the normal day out this year rather than a separate grotto ticket. He is there on (Beale Wildlife Park):

• Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December
• Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December
• Saturday 19 to Thursday 24 December

He is in all day on those dates, apart from a short lunch break. The park expects 10am to 11am to be the busiest time and suggests visiting him later in the day for a shorter queue. Members do not need to book. December visitors get 15% off admission, and the park says more Christmas plans will be announced “over the coming weeks”.

For scale, Beale’s standard advance prices are £17.50 for adults, £15.50 for children and £56 for a family of two adults and two children (Beale tickets). The park has not yet said whether the 15% comes off those advance prices.

Santa afternoon teas at Wokefield

De Vere Wokefield Estate, on Goodboys Lane near Mortimer (RG7 3AE), runs two Santa afternoon teas in its Mansion House. Each includes a festive afternoon tea, arts and crafts, a character act, a visit to Santa and a gift for every child. Two sittings on each date: 12pm to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm.

• Sunday 13 December: with The Snow Sisters (listing).
• Sunday 20 December: with The Grumpy Green Villain (listing).

Tickets are £40 for adults, £30 for children aged 3 to 12 and £20 for infants up to 2. They must be paid in advance and cannot be refunded or transferred, and the venue takes cards only.

Other Christmas visits

PACT’s Magical Christmas at the Minster, Saturday 5 December, Reading Minster, Chain Street RG1 2HX. A family event with local performers and carols, run by the charity Parents and Children Together. Refreshments are from 3pm and the main event runs 4pm to 5.30pm. Children’s tickets are £3, adults £12, with family options, and booking closes at 11.59pm on Friday 4 December (PACT listing). The listing does not say that Father Christmas appears.

The Artisa Christmas market in Caversham on Sunday 15 November also has a Santa’s grotto, free to enter.

Still to confirm

• The Winter Wonderland grotto price, which is only on its booking system.
• The town centre. Visit Reading’s Christmas page says there will be free family events “across every weekend in December”, including Father Christmas, but it names no dates or places yet, and the same page still gives last year’s switch-on date. We will add the details once the town centre programme is published.
• Broad Street Mall’s what’s on page had no 2026 grotto listed when we checked.

Getting there

Hills Meadow is on George Street in Caversham, across the Thames from the town centre, and has its own pay and display parking. For town centre car parks see parking in Reading, and check Reading roadworks and travel before driving in on a December weekend. The Christmas lights switch-on is on Saturday 14 November.