GH’S hot tickets
HOGMANAY IN THE GARDENS
Musician Mark Ronson headlines this New Year’s Eve spectacular at Edinburgh’s Princes
Street Gardens. Mark, who’s worked with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Lady Gaga, will ring in 2020 in style, and it’s a great spot to take in the fireworks at midnight over Edinburgh Castle. 31 December; edinburghshogmanay.com
CHRISTMAS AT WADDESDON MANOR
Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire is transformed for a day out that has something for everyone. As well as a Christmas Fair, there’s a spectacular light trail around the grounds, sparkling with colour, and a fabulous light show from dusk. 16 November to 5 January 2020; waddesdon.org.uk
CHRISTMAS AT THE HALL
The Royal Albert Hall always has a packed programme to get you in the Christmas mood, and this year it includes carol concerts, singer Katherine Jenkins’s festive show, a performance of Handel’s Messiah, and even a screening of ET. There are more surprises to be announced soon. Runs throughout December; royalalberthall.com
CHRISTMAS AT THE (SNOW) GLOBE
’Tis the season to be jolly at Shakespeare’s open-air Globe Theatre in London, when host Sandi Toksvig invites you for an evening of song, joy and a little sprinkling of fairy dust. 19-23 December; shakespearesglobe.com
THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE
Little ones (as well as not-so-little ones) will love this charming tale adapted from the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – also the duo behind The Gruffalo. A snail takes an incredible trip around the world with a young girl and her seafaring father. The stage show has its West End premiere in November, and will run into 2020. 30 November to 5 January 2020; nimaxtheatres.com
LOVE ACTUALLY LIVE
One of the best-loved romcoms of all time is going on tour this festive season. Richard Curtis’s smash hit, which tells 10 interweaving stories of love around Christmas time, will be screened at concert halls across the UK, accompanied by a live symphony orchestra performing Craig Armstrong’s iconic soundtrack. The production will kick off in Exeter and head to locations including Birmingham, Manchester and Brighton. 23 November to 16 December; ticketmaster.co.uk
THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT AT LONGLEAT
Set among 30 acres of stunning Wiltshire grounds, the UK’S biggest and most celebrated lantern festival returns for 2019. This year, the theme is myths and legends; expect breathtaking tales of ancient Greece brought to life through light alongside equally impressive home-grown folklore.
9 November to 5 January 2020; longleat.co.uk