CH1ChesterBID announces the return of the festive attraction, Storytelling with Santa – in partnership with Storyhouse
More bookings added to this year’s schedule after tickets sold out in just a matter of days in 2017
A very special guest will be taking up residence at Storyhouse later this month accompanied by his Christmas elves and sack-loads of festive spirit.
Father Christmas himself will be returning to the cultural hub in the heart of Chester city centre as the popular ‘Storytelling with Santa’ event returns, thanks to a partnership between the city’s Business Improvement District, CH1ChesterBID and Storyhouse.
The attraction officially launches on November 22 and will run every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 23 December. Almost double the number of bookings slots have been made available this year after tickets sold out in just a matter of days in 2017.
Santa will be available for stories throughout the day in The Den – Storyhouse’s dedicated Children’s library – which is being transformed into a winter wonderland perfect for a magical Christmas storytelling experience.
Santa’s elves will also be on hand to help little ones write their Christmas wish lists and take part in arts and crafts workshops, which will be suitable for children of all ages.
Judy Tagell, Marketing Manager at CH1ChesterBID, said: “Christmas in Chester is one of the best, and biggest, times of year for us and our city centre businesses. The whole city is buzzing with festive spirit, and our partnership with Storyhouse for this attraction again this year will be another great reason for families to soak up the Christmas spirit in Chester.
“Tickets for last year’s Storytelling with Santa sold out in days and there was huge demand, so we are super excited to bring it back with even more booking opportunities for 2018. It’s sure to be a hit with children and the young at heart, but we’re urging people to book their tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment!”
Following on from last year, CH1ChesterBID and Storyhouse have announced that they will again gift a number of sessions to local charities, including Claire House Hospice and Hope House Hospice, children’s literacy organisation Passion for Learning, CHAPS and Space.
There will also be autism-friendly sessions every Sunday morning (except December 23) supported by a representative from Cheshire Autism Practical Support (CHAPS).
In addition, the morning sessions on both Sunday, November 25, and December 2 will be available with British Sign Language interpreters on hand.`
Alex Clifton, artistic director at Storyhouse, said: “Last year’s events were a huge success, so we are over the moon to be hosting Storytelling with Santa again this year in partnership with CH1ChesterBID.
“This attraction is a fun and festive way to get families into the city centre to enjoy the build-up to Christmas and we want as many children as possible to take part. That’s why we’re delighted to have partnered with some of the borough’s incredible organisations to open the sessions and make them accessible to even more children. Christmas is a wonderfully special thing, and we think every child should be able to participate in Storytelling with Santa, so we look forward to welcoming lots of families into Storyhouse soon!”
Storytelling with Santa will open from November 22 – December 23 at Storyhouse on Hunter Street. Running on Saturdays (10.30am – 5.30pm) and Sundays (11 am – 4 pm), and during the week on Thursdays (1 pm – 7 pm) and Fridays (1 pm – 6 pm).
Tickets for Storytelling with Santa cost £3.50 and will be available to purchase from November 8 on www.experiencechester.co.uk, where there will also be information on the range of Christmas activities taking place in Chester city centre this year.