The Snowman in concert with Aldbourne Band. A Magical Christmas Experience

The Snowman is back at STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway on Saturday 12 December, with the Aldbourne Band providing the live soundtrack. It's become a bit of a Christmas regular here in Swindon, and this year follows the same format: the BAFTA award-winning, Oscar-nominated animated film plays on screen while the brass band performs the score live. Once the film finishes, they stick around for a short concert of Christmas tunes.

If you've never seen it, The Snowman is a wordless story, so the music does all the heavy lifting. Hearing it played live by a full brass band changes the feel of it, and the extra set of carols afterwards means you're not just in and out in under an hour. It's built as a family day out rather than a formal concert, so it works as well for kids as it does for anyone who just wants a bit of festive nostalgia.

There's more to do around the room than just the screening. Christmas-themed activities for children, like face painting and Christmas market stalls, run alongside the performances, and you can still wander through the museum's interactive displays, historic locomotives and exhibits for all ages. If you're coming with the whole family, it's easy to make a proper afternoon of it.

There are two performances on the day, from 11:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 16:00, and they advise arriving 30 minutes early. Tickets are £12 for adults and £8 for children aged 3 to 18, with a family ticket for two adults and two children at £35 and student tickets £8 with a valid ID. Advance booking is required. A practical one to keep in mind: there's no visitor parking on site except for disabled parking, so your best bet is the Swindon Designer Outlet, which is about a five-minute walk away.