Kendal has no traditional panto this year. Brewery Arts stages The Elves and the Shoemaker from 19 December; Bowness has two shows and Kendal a Treasure Island.
There is no traditional pantomime listed in Kendal for Christmas 2026. Instead the town and Bowness have four family plays between late November and New Year, all short, all aimed at young children or families, and all cheaper than a big-city panto. The biggest run is The Elves and the Shoemaker at Brewery Arts, from 19 to 28 December.
The quick answer
- The Elves and the Shoemaker, Brewery Arts, Kendal: 19 to 28 December, twice daily, ages 3+, £15.50, family of four £57.
- The Gingerbread Boy, Victoria Wood Theatre, Bowness: 19 to 24 December, with Santa after the show, £10 child, £12 adult.
- Treasure Island, Castle Street Centre, Kendal: 25 to 28 November, Kendal Community Theatre, £12, £6 concessions.
The four shows
| Show | Venue | Dates | Tickets | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treasure Island | Castle Street Centre, Kendal | Wed 25 to Sat 28 Nov | £12; £6 concessions; family £30 | 8 to 80 plus |
| The Elves and the Shoemaker | Brewery Arts, Kendal | Sat 19 to Thu 24 Dec, Sun 27 and Mon 28 Dec | £15.50; family of 4 £57 | 3+ |
| The Gingerbread Boy | Victoria Wood Theatre, Bowness | Sat 19 to Thu 24 Dec | £10 child, £12 adult | 3+ |
| Tomte's Yuletide Tale | Victoria Wood Theatre, Bowness | Mon 28 Dec to Sat 2 Jan | £10 child, £12 adult | 3 to 10 |
The Elves and the Shoemaker, Brewery Arts
A 50-minute show from PaddleBoat Theatre Company, presented with Exeter Northcott Theatre, “full of clowning, puppetry and a magical miniature world”, which Brewery Arts calls “a perfect introduction to theatre for children aged 3 and up”. Performances are at 1pm and 3.30pm on Saturday 19 December, then 11am and 2pm on Sunday 20 to Thursday 24 December and on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 December. There are no shows on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Tickets are £15.50, or £57 for a family of four, and Brewery Arts includes a commission of £2.50 to £3.50 in its prices; members get 10% off (Brewery Arts listing). The bar and restaurant is closed on Sundays.
The Gingerbread Boy, Victoria Wood Theatre, Bowness
The Christmas show at the World of Beatrix Potter’s theatre. It runs 50 minutes, and then the children meet Santa: “Every child receives a free gift from Santa!” Shows are at 2pm and 4pm on Saturday 19 December, 11am and 2pm from Sunday 20 to Wednesday 23 December, and 10am and 12pm on Christmas Eve. Show-only tickets are £10 for a child aged 1 to 16 and £12 for an adult. Adding the Beatrix Potter attraction takes that to £16.50 and £23.50, and a package with afternoon tea after the 11am shows on 20 to 23 December is £42.50 an adult and £26.50 a child aged 3 or over. Seating is unreserved and tickets are non-refundable (World of Beatrix Potter).
Tomte’s Yuletide Tale, Victoria Wood Theatre, Bowness
The between-Christmas-and-New-Year show: a 45-minute puppet and shadow play drawn from Scandinavian winter folklore, suitable for children aged 3 to 10. Shows are at 2pm on Monday 28 December, 11am and 2pm on 29 and 30 December, 11am on New Year’s Eve, 2pm on New Year’s Day and 11am and 2pm on Saturday 2 January. Prices match The Gingerbread Boy (World of Beatrix Potter).
Treasure Island, Castle Street Centre, Kendal
Kendal Community Theatre’s family version of Stevenson’s story, adapted by Toby Hulse, in which a bored schoolgirl called Emily takes Jim Hawkins’s part. Age guidance is “8 years to 80 plus”. It runs Wednesday 25 to Saturday 28 November, with evening performances at 7.30pm; check the booking page for the Saturday times. Tickets are £12, or £6 for children, students, carers and people on benefits, and a family ticket for two adults and two children is £30. The company says Thursday is a “Pay What You Can Afford” night, booked in advance (TryBooking, Kendal Community Theatre).
Why no pantomime?
None of the listings we checked, Brewery Arts’ full programme, the World of Beatrix Potter’s events and Visit Kendal’s events diary, carries a traditional pantomime for Christmas 2026. Brewery Arts’ Christmas programme is otherwise concerts, comedy and screenings of the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker on 1 December. If a local amateur group announces a panto, we will add it here.
Still to be confirmed
Nothing on the four shows. We will recheck in late October for any added dates or a panto announcement.
More Christmas in and around Kendal: the Christmas lights switch-on, where to meet Father Christmas and Winter at Sizergh.
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