Norwich's Christmas ice rink opens on 20 November at the Norfolk Showground: 1,000m² of covered real ice, skate hire included, free entry and free parking.
Norwich’s ice rink this Christmas is at Winter Wonderland on the Norfolk Showground, opening on Friday 20 November 2026 and running to Sunday 3 January 2027. It is just under 1,000 square metres of real ice under a clear-span cover, so it skates in the rain, and skate hire is included, according to the organiser’s ice skating page. There is no rink in the city centre this year that we can find; this is the one.
The quick answer
- Where: Winter Wonderland Norwich, Norfolk Showground, Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 0TT (sat nav NR5 0TP).
- When: 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Fridays to Sundays only in November, then every day from 1 December. Closed Christmas Day.
- Cost: entry and parking are free; skating is a paid session with skate hire included. Skating-only prices are on SeeTickets, which we could not read.
- Booking: sessions are booked in advance through SeeTickets. A skate bundled with a ride wristband needs no session booking.
Opening days and hours
The rink keeps the event’s hours, from the organiser’s dates and times page, read on 20 October.
| Period | Open | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| November | Fri 20 to Sun 22, Fri 27 to Sun 29 | Fri 4pm to 10pm, Sat 11am to 10pm, Sun 11am to 9pm |
| 1 to 20 December | Every day | Mon to Thu 4pm to 9pm, Fri 4pm to 10pm, Sat 11am to 10pm, Sun 11am to 9pm |
| 21 to 23 December | Every day | 11am to 9pm |
| Christmas Eve | Open | 11am to 7pm |
| Christmas Day | Closed | |
| 26 December to 3 January | Every day | Noon to 9pm |
On weekdays before 21 December the gates do not open until 4pm, so a weekday daytime skate is only possible in the school holidays. Monday to Thursday in November the whole site is shut.
What skating costs
The organiser’s skating page no longer prints a price for a skate on its own; it sends you to its booking partner, SeeTickets, whose pages refuse automated readers, so we have not been able to confirm the 2026 figure. What the organiser does publish on its own site:
| Ticket | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny Thrills wristband plus one skate | £31.30 | Rides page |
| Ultimate Thrills wristband plus one skate | £44.90 | Rides page |
| School and group skating, 40 or more | From £8.50 a head, support staff free | Schools and groups |
| Groups of 20 or more | 20% off the usual price, £1.50 booking fee, code GROUPBOOK20 | Schools and groups |
The two wristbands on their own cost £20.90 and £31.30, so adding the skate costs £10.40 on the Tiny Thrills band and £13.60 on the Ultimate Thrills band. The organiser says the skate in those bundles needs no session booking. Its Christmas party packages describe a skating slot as one hour with skate hire, which is the only place on the site that gives a session length (Christmas parties).
Admission to Winter Wonderland itself is free, but you still reserve a free entry ticket online before you go (tickets).
The rink
- Size: just under 1,000 square metres of real ice, which the organiser calls one of the largest covered outdoor rinks in the UK.
- Capacity: up to 450 skaters on the ice at once, according to the schools page.
- Cover: a clear-span roof hung with lights, so sessions run in wet weather.
- Beginners: skate aids are available for younger children and first-timers.
- Quieter times: the organiser’s own advice to party bookers is that Monday to Thursday is calmer, with no queue for the rink.
Getting there and parking
The Norfolk Showground is on Dereham Road on the western edge of Norwich, just off the A47 Southern Bypass at the A1074 Longwater interchange. The organiser’s home page now says free entry and free parking; its find us page gives NR5 0TP for sat nav.
By bus, Konectbus service 4 and First’s Excel services stop outside the showground, and the organiser says it is working with Konectbus this year. Norwich station is about seven miles away.
Check our Norwich roadworks and travel page before you set off for anything closed on the A47 or Dereham Road. If you are combining a skate with a trip into the city, parking in Norwich has the city car parks and charges.
Everything else at Winter Wonderland
The rink sits alongside rides, an observation wheel, a 60m Sky Swing, a new illuminated trail, the Alpine Lodge bar and Santa’s Enchanted Grotto. Opening dates, ride prices and the adults-only Grinchy’s Grotto nights are on our Winter Wonderland Norwich page, and grotto details are on Santa’s grotto in Norwich.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an ice rink in Norwich this Christmas?
Yes. The Christmas rink is at Winter Wonderland Norwich on the Norfolk Showground, open from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. It is real ice, under a cover.
How much is ice skating at Winter Wonderland Norwich?
The skating-only price is on SeeTickets, which we could not read. On its own site the organiser sells a skate bundled with a ride wristband for £31.30 (Tiny Thrills) or £44.90 (Ultimate Thrills), and group skating for 40 or more from £8.50 a head. We will add the standard session price when we can confirm it.
Is skate hire included?
Yes. The organiser says skate hire is included, with skate aids for children and beginners.
Is parking free at the Norwich ice rink?
Yes. The organiser’s home page says free entry and free parking for 2026.
Do I need to book a skating session?
Yes, sessions are booked in advance through SeeTickets. The single skate that comes with a wristband bundle needs no separate session booking, the organiser says.
Does the rink close if it rains?
It is under a clear-span cover, so the organiser describes it as an all-weather rink.
Sources
Winter Wonderland Norwich: ice skating, home page, dates and times, rides and game stalls, schools and groups, Christmas parties, tickets and find us. All read 20 October 2026.
Have your say