December 2025 & January 2026 – At this busy time of year, please check our ‘Visitor Notices’ before your visit for any changes to opening hours or temporary updates to accessibility. Click here to view
From concerts to reflective services, we will open our doors to local community groups and support amazing causes throughout the festive season.
📍St Nicholas Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1PF
As the only cathedral in the UK dedicated to St Nicholas, the famously generous figure who inspired Santa Claus, we are proud to offer a programme of events that support local causes and make a real difference in our community.
On Sunday 7 December, the Northern Doctors Chorus – an ensemble of doctors, medical students and allied health professionals – will perform at the Cathedral for the first time, at 7pm, with tickets available from £8.
Chorus Secretary Chris Howe says: “The choir are thrilled to be performing at Newcastle Cathedral for the first time. We’ve put together a fabulous programme of Christmas music, readings and audience carols, and will be raising money for two amazing charities: Médecins Sans Frontières and the Great North Air Ambulance Service.”
Earlier that afternoon, Marie Curie’s ‘Lights to Remember’ service on Sunday 7 December at 3pm offers family, friends and the wider community the chance to honour loved ones with memory lanterns and moments of reflection, supporting the local Marie Curie Hospice.
On Tuesday 9 December, Crisis Skylight Newcastle’s Carol Service at 6:30pm will feature music from the Rock Choir, along with readings and traditional carols, to raise funds for the charity’s work to end homelessness. Attendance is free but pre-booking is requested, with a suggested donation of £10.
Throughout Advent, visitors can enjoy a three-course festive lunch at Café 16, located in the Cathedral’s beautiful refectory, for £30 per person. Proceeds support The Oswin Project, which helps prison leavers rebuild their lives through training and employment in hospitality. Visitors can also contribute to Changing Lives’ Christmas Meal Appeal, returning to Café 16 for its third year, by donating £5 to provide meals and support for people experiencing difficulties, including homelessness.
The Dean of Newcastle, The Very Revd Lee Batson, says: “Newcastle Cathedral has been a beacon of light for the people of the city for hundreds of years – our tower once guiding ships along the River Tyne. We’re delighted to be hosting such a wide variety of local groups to celebrate the joy of Christmas in the Cathedral this year, and hope that the services and concerts may bring light and wonder to all who attend.”
Other seasonal highlights include Swing into Christmas with the Down for the Count Orchestra on Tuesday 2 December at 7:30pm (tickets from £15) and Bublé Christmas by Candlelight on Saturday 20 December at 3pm & 7:30pm (tickets from £35). Events like these help sustain the Cathedral for the whole community, supporting our work as a registered charity and ensuring our doors remain open to all.
Meanwhile, proceeds from Newcastle Cathedral Choir’s ever-popular ‘Candlelit Carols’, performed twice this year on Wednesday 17 and Monday 22 December at 7:30pm (tickets £21.50), will support a variety of initiatives, including musical outreach sessions for local schools.
All of this complements a busy calendar of festive guided tours, organ recitals and more than 22 weekly services of worship – many featuring the Cathedral Choir – leading up to the joy and celebration of Christmas Day.
This year, the Church of England invites us to celebrate the ‘Joy of Christmas’. Many of our Advent & Christmas events can be booked in advance, including the ever-popular ‘Candlelit Carols’ with the Cathedral Choir.
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