Beat the December Chaos. Make Waterford’s Winterval Your Family’s Festive Escape

December. The month of school concerts, packed weekends, and trying to find time for actual Christmas fun between all the admin. If you're looking for one proper family day out that'll give you maximum festive joy with minimum stress, Winterval in Waterford deserves a spot in your diary.

Ireland's biggest Christmas festival runs Thursdays through Sundays from 21st November to 23rd December, and here's why it works for families with young kids.

The Main Attractions

Santa's Grotto in the Medieval Vaults

Forget the shopping centre queue. This Santa experience happens in Waterford's historic underground vaults, complete with elves, twinkling lights, and an electric atmosphere. Book early at winterval.ie – these tickets disappear fast.

Ireland's Biggest Drone Show

New this year: a massive drone display over the River Suir. If your kids are into lights, tech, or anything remotely sparkly, this will be the highlight of their December. It's proper impressive.

Santa Cruises on the River

Saturday and Sunday sailings (11am and 1pm) on the Barrow Princess from Adelphi Quay. Santa on a boat. Need we say more? There are also scenic 3pm cruises if you just fancy a peaceful float along the Suir whilst everyone's tired from market wandering.

The Christmas Market

Proper Christmas market vibes – cobbled streets, twinkling lights, Irish craftspeople selling gorgeous gifts, and mulled everything. It's free to browse, which means you can take your time (or make a swift exit if someone gets hangry).

The Waterford Eye & Carousel

Big wheel views over the city for the older ones, vintage carousel rides for the little ones. Simple pleasures that work

What Parents Actually Want to Know

How long does it take?

Plan for 3-4 hours if you're doing the full experience. Less if you're just hitting the market and one or two attractions.

What about budget?

Mix it up. The market is free, some attractions are ticketed. You can do Winterval on a shoestring or go all-out – it's flexible.

Best age range?

Toddlers to 12-year-olds all find something here. The grotto and carousel suit younger kids, the drone show and market appeal to the older crew who think they're too cool for Santa (they're not).

Crowds?

Because it runs over multiple weekends, you're not battling massive crowds on one specific day. Pick a Thursday or Friday if you want it quieter.

What to bring?

Warm coats, comfy shoes, cash for market stalls. Maybe snacks, though there's plenty of food around.

Make It Easy on Yourself

The festival is spread across Waterford's Cultural Quarter – Georges Street, Gladstone Street, and O'Connell Street – with events in other spots too. Everything's walkable, but wear decent shoes.

If you're travelling from outside Waterford, consider making it an overnight. The city's lovely, there are family-friendly hotels, and the Waterford Greenway is brilliant for burning off energy the next day.

Win a Magical Winterval Family Golden Ticket!

Get ready to sprinkle some extra magic over your festive season! Winterval is giving you the chance to win a Family Golden Ticket for 4 (worth over €100), granting complimentary access to an unforgettable line-up of festive experiences.

Your Golden Ticket gives you entry to:

Ice Rink
Visit Santa
Snowball Play Fun
Viking Storytelling
Wreath Making Workshop
Draw Your Own Here Workshop
Gingerbread Making Workshop
Mini-Express Train

It’s the ultimate Winterval experience – and it could be yours.
Enter now for your chance to win! Be quick as the winner will be announced on Friday 21st November 2025.

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Book Now, Thank Yourself Later

When: Thursdays – Sundays, 21st November – 23rd December 2025
Where: Waterford City Centre
Book tickets: https://winterval.ie/events/book-tickets

Santa's Grotto and river cruises sell out quickly, so don't leave it until the first week of December when you're already drowning in Christmas chaos.

With 1.8 million visitors expected across the festival, Winterval is Ireland's go-to Christmas experience for a reason. It delivers proper festive atmosphere without the stress of navigating airport queues or breaking the bank.

One day out. Happy kids. Decent photos for the family WhatsApp. Job done.

Find out more and book at https://winterval.ie/

This is a paid partnership with Winterval.