Christmas celebration across Derby with the Cathedral Quarter Ice Rink, the panto, the Nordic Bar in festive tipis and the Santa's Grotto.
The Cathedral Quarter Ice Rink is back at Derby Market Place from 26 November to 31 December, the city's covered real ice rink returning for another Christmas season. It's one of the main parts of Festive Derby, the wider Christmas celebration run by Derby City Council, which also brings the annual panto, the Cathedral Quarter Santa's Grotto and the Nordic Bar — hosted in three festive tipis — to the city centre. The rink is supported by the Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District.
Sessions run hourly, each around 45 minutes including any interval, with skate hire and free standing aids available on site. There's also rink-side space for spectators, so it works as much for watching as for skating. The whole thing sits in the heart of the city, and because it's covered, you're not at the mercy of the weather.
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Standard tickets are £13, dropping to £11 on certain days. Under-fives go free, under-sixteens are £11 or £9, and toddler sessions are £11. If you're bringing a group, there are discounts on standard tickets: £1 off for four or more, £2 off for 25+, and £3 off for 50+. The 2025 season drew large crowds, and the wider festive programme that year — which launched with a Christmas Lights Switch-On and a lantern parade as part of Surtal Arts' Season of Light — attracted over 100,000 visitors across the attractions.
