Every winter, Freight Island turns itself inside out for Christmas – bigger, brighter, and just that bit more surreal each time. This year’s no exception, but it might be the most ambitious yet.
Winter Island, the city’s sprawling festive takeover, returns this November with something completely new at its heart: Twilight Tales – an immersive light-and-story adventure designed to capture a sense of wonder in both kids and grown-ups.
Running from Thursday 13 November to Tuesday 31 December, Twilight Tales reimagines the former Twilight Trail from Mayfield Park and brings it home to Freight Island’s heated courtyard. Think of it as part festive playground, part dream sequence – where light, sound and storytelling collide.
The journey starts in a towering enchanted garden, where a giant storybook opens to tell its tale through projection and sound. You’re surrounded by a forest of Christmas trees, each one glowing and alive. Hidden among them, Santa’s mischievous elves wait to be spotted – find all ten and you’ll earn yourself a festive treat.
From there, the story winds through a series of light installations that feel closer to an art exhibition than a Christmas market. The Smokey Tunnel drifts with mist and floating bubbles; the Icicle Cave shimmers like a frozen crystal chamber; the Spirograph Tunnel pulses with looping patterns that move as you walk; and finally, the Mirrorball Cave – a corridor of spinning reflections that turns the whole space into a glittering finale.
When you emerge, it doesn’t end there. The North Pole Playground is waiting – an illuminated outdoor space for climbing, exploring, or simply watching the lights bounce off the walls. The Twilight Express, a neon-lit miniature train, hisses and steams its way across the courtyard, pulling you along on a short but surprisingly convincing journey to the North Pole.
Afterwards, everything slows down. There are firepits for toasting marshmallows, mugs of hot chocolate and mulled wine, crafts and free face painting inside Santa’s Workshop, and a sleigh set up for the perfect family photo.
Food, as always, is part of the experience. This year’s lineup includes a new project from the team behind Winsome, known for their thoughtful approach to British comfort food. Expect the same sense of Northern warmth – pies, rich sauces, slow-cooked dishes.
Crucially, Twilight Tales has been built to be accessible, with children’s tickets starting from £5 and adults from £8. Family tickets begin at £24, and anyone booking during October gets a Kids Eat Free deal inside Freight Island – a small but solid reason to get plans in early.
Winter Island and Twilight Tales run from 13 November to 31 December at Freight Island.
🎟️ Tickets for Twilight Tales → twilighttales.co.uk
🍴 Winter Island bookings → escapetofreightisland.com/christmas
