Visitors to Hull Museums are invited to experience a traditional Victorian Christmas in the Museums Quarter on Saturday 26 November from 10 am to 4 pm.
Taking place in partnership with HullBID (Business Improvement District) and Whitefriargate High Street Heritage Action Zone, Magic of Christmas will feature a variety of activities and performances.
Family members can meet the sparkling Winter Fairy by her snow sleigh and meet the cheerful chief Christmas elves, Sock and Tinker, at the Magic of Christmas event. As the Christmas Belles spread Christmas cheer with their chimes and ribbons, they will delight with their stilt-walking act.
You can also interact with Dickensian Christmas characters throughout the Museums Quarter Garden and Streetlife Museum throughout the day – look for miserable Mr Scrooge and kind-hearted Bob Cratchit, among others. A number of short performances will be interpreted in British Sign Language throughout the day.
Free rides will be offered on a traditional fairground carousel, and face painting will be provided to children.
Traditional Christmas carols and festive favourites will be performed throughout the day by the Hull Choral Union, Hull Visual Choir, and Manfire Music Jazz band.
Interactive storytelling sessions will spark the imaginations of younger visitors. Children and families can enjoy a multisensory Christmas storytelling adventure with Debutots, as well as enchanting winter and Christmas folktales with storyteller Beth Guiver. British Sign Language interpreters will also be available for some of these performances.
A variety of festive craft activities will be available alongside music and storytelling. Visitors will be able to make a collaged Christmas wreath with the Hull Museums team and the Hull Scrapstore team will be offering creative Christmas crafts using recycled materials.
A Charles Dickens themed short tour of the city center will also be offered by local historian Keith Daddy. During the Christmas holiday period, families can also follow a Christmas trail that runs through Streetlife Museum, Hull and East Riding Museum, and Ferens Art Gallery.
A variety of delicious Christmas hot and cold food and drinks in the Museums Quarter Garden throughout the day.
Throughout the day, visitors can shop for sweet treats and gifts at the variety of stalls selling sweet treats and gifts. The wonderful shops at the Hull and East Riding Museum and Streetlife Museum will also be open as usual and stocked full of gift ideas from toys, books to beautiful trinkets and much more.
Jane Avison, Museums and Gallery Manager at Hull Culture and Leisure Ltd (HCAL) said:
“Hull Museums are pleased to spread some free festive joy to help highlight our heritage and seasonal traditions. This event is supported using funding from Arts Council England, enabling us to keep our events free and accessible for everyone at a time that is challenging for many of us.”
Kathryn Shillito of HullBID said:
“We are delighted to partner with HCAL to provide a jam-packed day of excitement of activity. We know from experience events like this draw in the crowds, providing a direct financial benefit to many city centre businesses.”
All activities are free, however, charges apply for food, drink and museum shop and stall products.
To allow the event to take place safely, the following roads will be closed between 8.00am and 5.00pm:
High Street (from Gandhi Way to Scale Lane)
Bishop Lane
During lunchtime, this event can be very busy, so plan accordingly. In addition, relaxed versions of the Scrapstore craft activity will be available for free via the Hull Museums Eventbrite page between 10am and 11am.
Visit https://www.hcandl.co.uk/museums-and-galleries for more information about the event and the Museums Quarter, including access information.