Kew Gardens has released tickets for its famous festive light trail, Christmas at Kew, which is returning for 2026. The event welcomes visitors to experience the gardens after dark, transforming London’s biggest UNESCO World Heritage Site with immersive light installations, large artworks, and atmospheric soundscapes.
Christmas at Kew is a popular event among locals and people who travel from afar, and tickets for the best time slots often get booked up ahead of time. It’s a good idea to secure tickets in good time, even though it may still be summer.
New Installations and Artworks
Visitors will see the ‘world premiere’ of new installations and artworks created just for Kew Gardens, including a new work evoking a floral meadow with blooms programmed to music, and an animated willow tree inspired by Kew’s collection of over 11,000 trees.
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These are just a couple of the many installations created for the event, which include a gateway of huge gifts, illuminated arches, and other festive details such as candy canes, a gingerbread walk, and life-sized Nutcracker figures.
Trail Features and Events
The trail features an atmospheric Fire Garden with dancing flames, a sparkling Pealight Tree decorated with thousands of twinkling lights, and the famous Temperate House light show, in front of the world’s largest surviving Victorian glasshouse. They also offer the chance to find out more about Kew’s Palm House renovation project.
New for this Christmas are the adult-only evenings on Thursday, 3 December, and Wednesday, 9 December, giving over-18s the chance to enjoy the trail with friends, colleagues, or partners. Additionally, there will be Quiet Access sessions on 21 November and 1, 16, and 26 December, which offer a more comfortable experience for visitors with hidden and visual disabilities.
Food and drinks cabins will be dotted around the trail, with refreshment options for all the family, including seasonal street food and warming festive favourites like toasted marshmallows, hot chocolate, and mulled wine. For a sit-down meal, visitors can pop into the Botanical Brasserie to order from its festive menus.
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Supporting a Good Cause
Every ticket purchased goes to support Royal Botanic Garden, Kew’s work as a charity and global centre for plant and fungal science, education, conservation, and horticulture.
Sandra Botterell, Kew’s executive director of marketing and commercial enterprise, says, “There’s no doubt that Christmas at Kew is a firm favourite of the seasonal calendar, and the experience this year promises to be just as enchanting as always.” She adds, “With a freshly designed route, and a spectacular selection of new installations for 2026, we’re very excited to be welcoming visitors to Kew Gardens to enjoy the beauty of nature by night once again.”
Christmas at Kew will run from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Tickets are available now, with adults starting at £25.23 and children starting at £20. Under 4s can attend for free. The trail is open from 4:20pm to 10pm, and tickets can be booked at kew.org/christmas.
