Kew Gardens has released the tickets for its famous festive light trail, Christmas at Kew, which is returning for 2026.
One of the biggest and best Christmas light trails in the UK, it 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 both among locals and people who travel from afar, and tickets for the best time slots often get booked up ahead of time. So, while we may still be sipping on iced drinks and seeking shade in our gardens, it's a good idea to secure your tickets in good time.
This year, 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.
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.
The trail also features an atmospheric Fire Garden with dancing flames, a sparkling Pealight Tree decorated with thousands of twinkling lights and, of course, the famous Temperate House light show, in front of the world's largest surviving Victorian glasshouse.
There is also the chance to find out more about Kew's Palm House renovation project.
Also 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.
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There will also 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.
As always, there will be plenty of food and drinks cabins 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, pop into the Botanical Brasserie to order from its festive menus.
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.
"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," says Sandra Botterell, Kew's executive director of marketing and commercial enterprise.
"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."
Dates 13 November 2026 - 3 January 2027
Tickets Adults from £25.23 / Children from £20 / Under 4s Free
Open 4:20pm - 10pm
Book at kew.org/christmas
