Wednesday
The newly-named selfie bear Mr Magic has returned to the Royal Victoria Shopping centre. Get your new profile picture with Mr Magic opposite Marks and Spencer. Mr Magic is collecting donations for terminal illness support charity ellenor. You can find out more about Mr Magic and ellenor at ellenor.org
You can now also visit Santa’s Grotto.in the Royal Victoria Shopping Centre until Christmas Eve. Tickets cost £5.50 per child and can be booked online at royalvictoriaplace.com
Thursday
Ice Skating at Calverley Grounds will be hosting the Winter Sessions every Thursday from 7pm. Mike Wilton is one of tonight’s star attractions. Tickets for skating cost £14.40 for adults and £9.75 for children. Skating sessions can be booked any day this week from 11am to 8pm at assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk
Discover the Art of Christmas at the Pantiles Pop Up Gallery. A group of established local artists and makers have taken over 36 The Pantiles to showcase their work from 17 November to 22 December, Mon – Sat: 10am – 5pm; Sun: 11am – 4pm.
Friday
Today at 10.30am and 11am you can join Susan from Tunbridge Wells Library for a toddlers’ story telling session. Make sure you get there in plenty of time to ensure you place in the reading circle!
This year, seasonal festivities at Hever Castle are themed around traditional Christmas tales. During the day you can visit some of the castle’s beautifully decorated rooms, which boast welcoming log fires and twinkling Christmas trees. In the grounds visitors can discover a festive trail themed around the Charles Dickens classic novel ‘A Christmas Carol’ and wander through the illuminated gardens as dusk falls. Visit hevercastle.co.uk
Thursday
The Trinity Christmas Comedy Café has played host to some of the brightest talent on the comedy scene. Go along this evening, tomorrow and Saturday to see more sensational stand ups do their thing on stage. Check trinitytheatre.net for the acts appearing each night. Tickets cost £20 per person.
The Spring Art Gallery will be hosting another of its First Thursdays tonight so pop along for a prosecco and a pootle around the amazing art work on display. You can also see the gallery’s pop up at the OBS Gallery at Tonbridge School this weekend as part of its Lustre show.
Friday
There’s a Festive Watercolour Painting Day happening at Burrswood today. A local artist will be taking the day’s workshop and showing you how to paint a snow scene and other festive subjects to create your own Christmas cards. The cost is £60 per person and includes tuition, tea, coffee and pastries, a delicious lunch and cream tea each day.Call Reservations on 01892 865988 to book your place.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as they say, and it’s pretty hard to beat the Christmas offering at Bedgebury Pinetum. Not only will visitors to this natural attraction be able to walk through the illuminated forest marvelling at the many colourfully lit trees and shrubs, they can spy Christmas trees floating on boats, have a quick kiss under the Mistletoe Moment and toast some marshmallows in one of the route’s many fire pits. Tickets cost £10.50 for children aged 5-16 and £17 for adults. Visit christmasatbedgebury.seetickets.com
The Assembly Hall’s pantomime starts tonight at 7.30pm. This year it’s Sleeping Beauty and stars Claire Sweeney, Derek Moran and Quinn Patrick. You can find out about all the show’s timings and ticket prices by visiting assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk
Saturday
There will be an RNLI collection at The Range on Vale Road today from 10am to 5.30pm
All collectors will wear high-viz tabards with the RNLI logo and be collecting vital funds for this charity.
There will be a coffee morning for Kondoa at St Philip’s Church on Salisbury Road in Tonbridge from 10am. Pop along to see the handmade jewellery and genuine African textiles on sale and savour a cup of coffee and some homemade cakes. Proceeds will go to the kindergarten the church is sponsoring in Kondoa, Tanzania.
Sunday
There will be a carol concert at Grosvenor and Hilbert park this afternoon from 2-3.30pm with the CREATE choir. Go along if you’re feeling in fine voice and festive and enjoy a mince pie and mulled wine. Or alternatively go to Penshurst’s one by the village’s choral society at the church at 6.30pm this evening.
One Warwick Park hosts a Christmas Support Local fair today between 10am and 4pm. Go along to source some truly unique and covetable gifts.
Over at the Sussex pub there’s another Comedy Tapas evening happening for your comic delectation from 7.30pm.
Monday
Penshurst Place has a new and enchanting Christmas traditional grotto. Not only will little ones have the chance to see Santa in his sleigh, surrounded by his elves, they’ll also be able to visit his old-fashioned toy workshop and receive a gift. There will also be plenty of Christmas crafts and activities to participate in such as helping to decorate the tree and making special cards to take home. Tickets cost £14.50 per child, and up to two adults can accompany each child free of charge. For tickets and timings visit https://event.bookitbee.com/18229/penshurst-place.
Tuesday
There will be a Christmas Greeting card making session today happening at Grosvenor and Hilbert Park this afternoon from 4.30pm until 6.30pm. No booking necessary for this drop in session but a donation of £2 per person to cover costs is appreciated.
Bring Your Own Baby Comedy pitches up at the Mercure in Pembury this morning at 11.30am so if you need a good laugh and have a baby under one then what are you waiting for? For ticket info and more details about bringing your little ones along visit byobcomedy.com
Pick of the Week:
Bewl Water’s Christmas Experience
This Christmas revel in a truly magical time at the Bewl Water courtesy of their Christmas Experience in association with Childrensalon.
Your adventure begins as soon as you arrive as families can enjoy festive fun with the cheeky Elves and spend quality time with Father Christmas in his cosy grotto.
The magic doesn’t stop there, all the family can skate on the ‘Magic Ice’ rink. The children can make the most of the fairground rides, with unlimited turns and everyone can enjoy warming up by toasting marshmallows and making s’mores at the fire pit.
With the Magic Wishing Tree, Christmas themed crafts, soft play, secret woodland wonderland, and many more photo opportunities this really is the perfect festive experience to create magical memories with your family.
