Walthamstow Wetlands is putting on a Christmas show for families for the first time. Winter at the Wetlands: Operation Redwing runs from Saturday 5 December to Wednesday 23 December 2026 in the Engine House Visitor Centre, London Wildlife Trust has announced.
Tickets cost £40 for one adult and one child, Time Out reported, with £23 for each extra child and £20 for each extra adult. Every child goes home with a gift. Children under 12 months go in free but do not get one.
The trust’s event page says bookings made between 7 and 15 November get 50 per cent off with the code Redwing26.
What happens
The 45-minute show was written for the site and is played by professional actors from Complete Works. Children join two characters called Norm and Nesbit, The Navigators, in a hide, learn how animals migrate and survive winter, then help design a “Super Sleigh”.
It ends with Santa, who tells the story of a Christmas Eve nearly 100 years ago when he got lost in a dark wood and was rescued by wild animals.
“Every child takes home a gift, and every ticket directly supports our work caring for London’s wildlife and wild spaces, including Walthamstow Wetlands itself,” said David Mooney, chief executive of London Wildlife Trust.
Some dates have relaxed sessions, which run at half capacity with a gentler performance. Tickets are sold through Zeffy, which adds an optional fee that can be removed at checkout.
Getting there
The Engine House is a few minutes’ walk from the reserve entrance, with ramped access. The trust says the reserve is home to herons, kingfishers and hedgehogs.
The essentials
- What: Winter at the Wetlands: Operation Redwing, a 45-minute Christmas show with Santa
- Where: Engine House Visitor Centre, Walthamstow Wetlands, 2 Forest Road, London N17 9NH
- When: Saturday 5 December to Wednesday 23 December 2026
- Price: £40 for one adult and one child; extra child £23, extra adult £20; under-12-months free
- Offer: 50 per cent off with code Redwing26 for bookings made 7 to 15 November