Christmas with the kids
View all events →Santa visits, pantos and festive family days out in and around Sunderland.
Christmas Cabaret at Arts Centre Washington
7:00 PM · Arts Centre Washington
£6The Littlest Elf at Arts Centre Washington
10.30am and 1.30pm · Arts Centre Washington
From £8The Littlest Elf
Daytime · Arts Centre Washington
TicketedFilm and Fun: The Muppet Christmas Carol at Arts Centre Washington
1pm · Arts Centre Washington
From £4Rapunzel
Until 31 Dec · Gala Theatre
From £10Sleeping Beauty: The Customs House Pantomime
Until 2 Jan · The Customs House
From £14Christmas in Sunderland 2026: Lights, Panto, Markets and New Year: the full guide →
Upcoming Events
View all →Red Robin's Winter Song
2:00 PM · Arts Centre Washington
£10 adult, £8 childThe Jingle Generator Jam Show at Arts Centre Washington
11am and 2pm · Arts Centre Washington
From £8Chorister Experience Day at Durham Cathedral
12:30 PM - 5:30 PM · Durham Cathedral
Free (registration required)Meet Author Jason Savin at Two Tales Durham
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM · Two Tales (Seven Stories pop-up)
FREEFeatured Guides
More Guides
All guides →
Find a Tutor in Sunderland
Kumon in Pallion and Washington, MagiKats in Ashbrooke, Kip McGrath at Washington Library and swimming lessons: a practical guide to finding and checking a tutor in Sunderland.
Sunderland School Term Dates and Holidays 2026/27
When do Sunderland schools break up and go back? The 2026/27 term, half-term and holiday dates, with the key caveat that academies, church schools and INSET days can differ.
Museums in Sunderland: What Is Open in 2026
Where to find Sunderland's history while the Museum and Winter Gardens is closed until 2028 and the National Glass Centre has shut: football, steam, aircraft, castles and local archives.
After-School Clubs and Kids' Classes in Sunderland
Gymnastics, climbing, drama, football, trampolining and swimming: the weekday and weekend clubs that Sunderland children can join outside school hours.
Children's Birthday Party Venues in Sunderland
Football in a 4G barn, climbing, skiing, trampolining and soft play: Sunderland venues that host children's birthday parties, with what each one offers.
Summer Holiday Activities for Kids in Sunderland
Holiday courses, beaches, country parks, wetlands, watersports and the Summer Reading Challenge: ways to fill the six-week break in Sunderland.
Schools & Education
Find schools, nurseries, and educational resources in Sunderland.
Local Places
Full directory →Sunderland Empire
CommunitySunderland's large-scale theatre on High Street West, opened in 1907 and now run by Ambassador Theatre Group, staging touring musicals, plays, comedy and the annual pantomime.
The Fire Station
CommunityLive music and performance venue in Sunderland's former Central Fire Station, with a purpose-built auditorium for around 550 seated or 800 standing, plus a bar and restaurant in the old engine house.
Culture House
CommunitySunderland's new multi-purpose cultural building on Keel Square, opened in September 2026, home to the City Library, exhibition space and bookable rooms.
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
CommunitySunderland's main museum, art gallery and glasshouse beside Mowbray Park, currently closed for a £13.6m redevelopment, with collections shown at pop-up events around the city in the meantime.
Arts Centre Washington
CommunityCommunity arts centre in a converted farmstead in Fatfield, run by Sunderland Culture, with performances, exhibitions, classes, artists' studios and the Courtyard Bar and Cafe.
Omniplex Cinema Sunderland
CommunityTwelve-screen city-centre cinema on Lambton Street in Sunniside, run by Omniplex in the former Empire cinema, with a MAXX large-format screen and a first-floor premium area.