Your handy guide on how to eat, drink and be merry – Sheff style!
ENJOY SOME FESTIVE CINEMA
To celebrate the festive season, The Leadmill Cinematic returns with a series of special Christmas film screenings taking place throughout December. The iconic venue will transforming into an alternative winter wonderland showing A Nightmare Before Christmas on Friday 2nd December, Love Actually on 5th December and Home Alone on 12th December. Natually, there’ll also be mulled wine, candy cane cocktails, pick ‘n’ mix and other sweet treats on offer!
£6 (table and VIP bookings available) // £6 // leadmill.co.uk
COME ALPINE WITH ME
Sheffield Christmas Markets are back – bigger and better than ever! Returning once more will be the two-floored Alpine Lodge at the Peace Gardens, while an additional festive bar will be based on the Moor. The markets themselves will boast 50+ traders, Santa’s workshop, Ferris wheel, fairground rides and a vast assortment of food and drink offerings. Fill yer winter boots.
Open 10am to 6pm Sunday – Thursday // 10 to 8pm Friday – Saturday.
BRING OUT THE BELGIAN BLUE
Something of a Sheffield winter institution, you know you can start counting down the days until Crimbo when Bradfield Brewery’s famous Farmers Belgian Blue arrives in the pubs. You’ll find it at plenty of self-respecting local boozers across the city, but you can also pick up kegs and cases online at the below website.
VISIT A MARKET
You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to independent markets to visit – all ideal for getting into the spirit and sourcing a few gifts while you’re at it! On 2nd and 3rd Dec, the mighty Peddler Market will be hosting its usual extravaganza of food, music, art and drink with some added seasonal flavours. A celebration of all things independent, tasty and crafty returns with Sharrow Vale Market on 4th Dec, this time featuring over 100 stalls, live bands and a Santa’s Grotto. Later in the month, Quayside Festival returns to the canal basin on 10th December with a wide selection of traders and street eats, followed by a special edition of inner-city horticultural celebration Pollen Market bringing an abundance of greenery, live music, local produce and art to the table.
@peddlermkt // @valesharrow // @quaysidesheffield // @pollenmarketsheffield
DO THE PANTO
It doesn’t get much more traditional than the annual Sheffield Theatres panto. This year’s fun-filled extravaganza for all the fam features the classic tale of Jack & The Beanstalk, brought to life with stunning sets, impressive special effects and plenty of audience participation – not to mention a few well-known faces in the cast list!
2nd Dec – 3rd Jan // £15 // sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
HAVE A LAUGH
The famous Leadmill Comedy Club is back with a festive instalment featuring four of the UK’s finest up-and-coming comedians: Scott Bennett, Stephen Bailey, Bethany Black and Chris Kehoe. Grab a drink, some tasty street food from local vendors Icarus & Apollo and make with the merriment.
7th Dec // £7 (£5 NUS) // leadmill.co.uk
MAKE IT A CARNALL CHRISTMAS
What started out as a backroom gig featuring Joe Carnall and his acoustic guitar back in 2010 has now evolved into a much-loved celebration of live music and Christmas cheer at the O2. Over the years, the Milburn frontman has built a reputation for hosting these huge singalongs, an enjoyable jaunt through the tunes he’s penned over a 20-year career, alongside some memorable covers and guest appearances.
23rd Dec // £24 // academymusicgroup.com
ATTEND THE BISHOP’S HOUSE BASH
Image: Ellie Grace Photography
Popular Sheffield alt-pop performers Before Breakfast will be performing two intimate shows in one day (6pm-7:30pm & 8:30pm-10pm) at the historic Bishop’s House. Expect strings, mince pies and a selection of spinetingling covers and songs from their debut album, I Could Be Asleep If It Weren’t For You.
17th Dec // £16 // eventbrite.co.uk
SEE ‘THE NATIVITY’
Roll up, roll up! Hotly-tipped alt-pop band Minds Idle are going all ‘Rolling Stones Rock n Roll Circus’ and putting on a highly sophisticated spread of the finest musical talent from this neck of the woods – in a theatre, no less! Joined at the University of Sheffield’s Drama Studio by the brilliant indie-folk outfit Oh Papa and a currently unannounced special guest, you can expect an entertaining musical theatre take on the famous Nativity tale.
15th Dec // £7 // eventbrite.co.uk
