Edinburgh’s stages fill up fast in December. This year the big news is the return of the King’s Theatre, which reopened in summer 2026 after its redevelopment and now stages a brand-new pantomime, while ballet, Dickens and the big touring musicals keep the rest of the city busy until early January.
Below is the 2026 line-up with dates, venues and ticket prices checked on official sites, plus concerts, free events, cosy cinemas and a few less obvious ways to spend a winter evening. Where a price has not been published, we say so.
Updated 23 October 2026: all show dates and prices checked against venue and promoter websites.
Christmas shows in Edinburgh 2026 at a glance
The quick version, sorted by opening date. Times and prices vary by performance, so check the booking page for your date.
| Show | Venue | Dates | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Clique Noël (cabaret) | Bristo Square | 20 Nov – 3 Jan | Confirm when booking |
| The Adventures of Pinocchio | King’s Theatre | 28 Nov – 17 Jan | £23–£49 |
| A Christmas Carol | Royal Lyceum Theatre | 28 Nov – 3 Jan | Confirm when booking |
| Back to the Future The Musical | Edinburgh Playhouse | 2 Dec – 2 Jan | Confirm when booking |
| A Ladder to the Stars (ages 3–6) | Traverse | 8–23 Dec | Confirm when booking |
| Cinders! (ballet) | Festival Theatre | 11–24 Dec | Confirm when booking |
| Robin Hood & the Witches of Sherwood | Church Hill, Morningside | 11–20 Dec | Confirm when booking |
| Bananas for Christmas | Studio, Potterrow | 17–31 Dec | Confirm when booking |
| Macastory’s Jack and the Beanstalk | Netherbow, Royal Mile | 19–22 Dec | Children £16 |
Sources: official venue, promoter and festival websites (checked 23 October 2026).
The King’s panto: The Adventures of Pinocchio
The biggest family night out in Edinburgh this season is the Adventures of Pinocchio, running from Saturday 28 November 2026 to Sunday 17 January 2027. It is the first Christmas production in the Leven Street auditorium since it reopened in summer 2026 after a major redevelopment. Allan Stewart plays May Geppetto, Grant Stott is the villain Stromboli and Jordan Young is Pinocchio, with C.J. Borger, Clare Gray and Gail Watson.
Tickets cost roughly £23 to £49 depending on date and seat, with £3 off for children (not in boxes) and free babes-in-arms tickets for under-1s without a seat. Anyone aged 25 and under can buy £10 tickets on the day. Accessible performances include audio described shows with touch tours (Fri 4 Dec 7pm, Sat 12 Dec 2pm), BSL-interpreted shows (Sat 5 Dec 2pm, Fri 11 Dec 7pm) and a relaxed performance on Fri 8 January at 2pm. The running time was not yet published.
Ballet, plays and musicals
If panto is not your thing, these are the big festive productions on the main stages this December:
Christopher Hampson’s witty take on Cinderella, danced to Prokofiev’s score played live by the company’s orchestra. About two hours including a 20-minute interval; relaxed matinee on Thu 17 Dec at 2.30pm.
Deborah McAndrew’s adaptation of Dickens, directed by James Brining. There are captioned, audio described and signed performances, plus relaxed shows; the first few dates are previews.
The hit West End musical with its flying DeLorean, around 2 hours 40 minutes including an interval. Age guidance 6+; under-3s are not admitted, and there are strobes and pyrotechnics.
Seven weeks of Olivier Award-winning cabaret and circus, part of Edinburgh’s Christmas. It is a late-night spectacle, so check the age guidance before taking teenagers.
The Olivier Award-nominated pub singalong show, on its first UK tour, opens the month before the ballet takes over the Nicolson Street stage.
Pantomimes and family shows for younger children
Smaller pantomimes around Edinburgh are cheaper, shorter and often better for under-5s than the big one:
- Macastory’s Jack and the Beanstalk – a 60-minute storytelling pantomime at the Scottish Storytelling Centre (Netherbow), Sat 19 – Tue 22 Dec at 11am and 2pm. Age 3+, children £16.
- A Ladder to the Stars – puppetry and live music for ages 3–6 on Cambridge Street, 8–23 Dec, part of its £1 Ticket Project. A signed show is on Tue 22 Dec at 1.30pm.
- Bananas for Christmas – a family show by Frozen Charlotte at the Studio Theatre, 17–31 Dec.
- Robin Hood & the Witches of Sherwood – the long-running community company EPT stages its pantomime at the Church Hill Theatre, 11–20 Dec.
- Peter Pans – the Brunton’s pantomime is staged at the Corn Exchange in Haddington, 4–27 Dec. Tickets £25 (£22 concessions) or £89 for a family of four; relaxed show Sun 20 Dec, 5pm.
Christmas concerts, carols and candlelight
Two Edinburgh halls host most of the festive concerts. Prices below include fees unless stated. At the Usher Hall on Lothian Road:
- Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert – the film with a live orchestra, Thu 3 Dec 7pm, from £37.75.
- RSNO Christmas Concert featuring The Snowman – festive favourites, then the film on the big screen with the orchestra and narrator Hugh Dennis, Sun 20 Dec 2.30pm, £20–£52 plus booking fees.
- BBC SSO Christmas at the Movies – Mon 21 Dec 7.30pm, from £21.
- G4 Christmas – the harmony group, Mon 28 Dec 7.30pm, from £39.95.
At the Queen’s Hall on Clerk Street:
- Swing Into Christmas with the Down for the Count Swing Orchestra – Fri 4 Dec 7.30pm.
- The Big Christmas Sing A-Long with Aled Jones and Alexander Armstrong – Sun 13 Dec 8pm, £35–£139.50 (top prices are VIP packages).
- The Scottish Christmas Songbook – 19, 20 and 22 Dec.
For a quieter evening, St Giles’ Cathedral on the Royal Mile hosts candlelight concerts by the Piccadilly Sinfonietta and solo pianists from late November to 19 December, including the Nutcracker Suite, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Moonlight Sonata at Christmas. The cathedral choir gives its own festive concerts on Sat 12 Dec.
Free entertainment at Edinburgh’s Christmas
The city’s winter festival runs from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and some of its best moments cost nothing. The Light Night Concert at the Ross Bandstand on Sun 22 Nov (3pm–6pm) is free, with no tickets needed and a visit from Santa. In West Princes Street Gardens, Santa’s Stories runs from 20 Nov to 24 Dec, from £14.30, with 20% off for EH postcodes. For rides, market hours and light trails, see our Christmas markets guide.
Festive films: the best cinemas in Edinburgh
Sometimes the best plan for a cold night is a classic film. These independent Edinburgh cinemas show seasonal favourites through December:
- Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road – the city’s arthouse cinema reopened in June 2025 after closing in 2022, and its winter listings already include The Muppet Christmas Carol, Arthur Christmas and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
- Cameo, Home Street, Tollcross – a historic picture house with regular family screenings.
- Dominion, 18 Newbattle Terrace, Morningside – a family-run Art Deco cinema open since 1938, with four screens and a private lounge.
- Scotsman Picturehouse, 20 North Bridge – a hidden 48-seat Art Deco screen inside the Scotsman Hotel, with leather armchairs and drinks.
- Brass Monkey, 14 Drummond Street – a pub whose back room is a cinema full of mattresses; films are shown daily at 3pm.
Dance through the Old Town on a headphone tour
For something different, Silent Adventures runs a festive silent disco walking tour in December. A guide leads the group through the streets while everyone sings and dances to the same playlist on wireless headphones, and onlookers rarely know what is going on.
Tours last about an hour and cost £18.50. Tours meet at the Piper’s Rest, 3 Hunter Square, just off the Royal Mile. It is for over-5s only (babes in arms welcome, no buggies), and comfy shoes are a must.
Booking tips
- Book weekend and school-holiday matinees first; evening shows in the week before Christmas also sell out.
- Look for accessible performances when you book. At the King’s and Festival theatres, access users can get 50% off their own and an essential companion’s tickets.
- Many venues are close together: A Christmas Carol and the Usher Hall concerts are side by side just off Lothian Road, and Nicolson Street is a 10-minute walk from the Royal Mile.
- Check age guidance. Several of the shows here have minimum ages or are only suitable for older children.
- Staying for New Year? Our New Year guide covers the concerts and street party, and festive food and drink lists places for dinner before a show.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Edinburgh panto in 2026?
The Adventures of Pinocchio, from 28 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. It is the first big family show at the King’s since it reopened in summer 2026.
How much do Pinocchio tickets cost?
Around £23 to £49 depending on date and seat, with £3 off for children and £10 on-the-day tickets for those aged 25 and under.
What can I see with toddlers?
Try A Ladder to the Stars (ages 3–6) or Macastory’s Jack and the Beanstalk, a 60-minute storytelling version for age 3+.
Is there a ballet at Christmas?
Yes. The national company performs Cinders!, its version of Cinderella, from 11 to 24 December 2026, with Prokofiev’s score played live.
Are there free festive events?
Yes. The Light Night Concert at the Ross Bandstand on 22 November is free, with no tickets needed.
Which cinema is best for a Christmas film?
The Dominion in Morningside and the Cameo in Tollcross are the most atmospheric, Filmhouse has the best seasonal classics, and the Scotsman Picturehouse is the most luxurious.