Celebrate Christmas under the palms this December, as the Palm House in Sefton Park announces another incredible programme of events to suit young minds, party animals, super shoppers, festive foodies and music lovers alike.
From story time with Father Christmas to party time with friends and colleagues, this beautiful, iconic venue, which marks its 130th anniversary next year, continues to be a focal point for events and a free community programme, taking Christmas hosting to another level.
With sparkly lights a plenty, events at the Palm House are always set against the most beautiful backdrop, but the venue takes things up a notch at Christmas. The team has put together a programme of wonderful free events, along with some not-to-be-missed ticketed events, including their Christmas Party Nights (12 & 19 December) and Disco Night (13 December) and musical evenings with a variety of renowned choirs. There is also a Festive Afternoon Tea (14 December) and the Little Frost Fair (20 & 21 December), which is taking place the weekend before Christmas – the perfect time to shop for some last-minute gifts while soaking up the Christmas spirit and indulging in some festive food and drink.
As a charity, buying tickets to any paid for event at the Palm House supports the free community programme, the preservation of the botanical collection and keeping the building open and accessible year-round, for free. More importantly, at this time of year, it also means that children and families can join Father Christmas for the Palm House’s free Story Time events (7 & 23 December), allowing those who might not be able to afford expensive Christmas experiences to create memories to cherish for years to come.
Event type: Other
Innovation Late 2025
Liverpool, get ready to step into the future! The Royal Academy of Engineering is bringing its fun-packed Innovation Late to the city for the first time on the evening of Tuesday, 4 November 2025. Come along to see the vibrant Camp and Furnace transformed into a playground for the UK’s boldest inventions and brightest minds, ahead of National Engineering Day on 5 November.
This is a chance to see, touch, and experience the future of engineering firsthand. Explore jaw-dropping demos, interactive exhibits, and inspiring talks from some of the nation’s most visionary innovators. This evening extravaganza is a chance to experience and discover ideas and innovations that are already making the future a better place for people and the planet.
Discover how engineering is shaping a more sustainable world, solving challenges big and small, and making the seemingly impossible an everyday reality.
Drop in anytime and dive into a full programme of hands-on activities, talks, and cutting-edge exhibits; it will be an evening guaranteed to inspire, amaze, and spark your curiosity.
What to expect?
· Movie maker Exoskeletons: Try your hand at operating cutting edge camera tech from Mr Helix, used in the Oscar-winning film The Favourite
· Robotic fun: Check out agile micro-robots from Icenine Robotic Solutions
· Levitating cocktails: See gin & tonic float in mid-air with ultra-haptics from Acoustofab
· Brain scanners for wellbeing: Watch your thoughts light up as University of Nottingham researchers reveal the blood flows in the human mind
· Self-powered smart textiles: Discover wearable fabrics that generate energy and track movement to support rehabilitation with University of Loughborough
· Coding with embroidery: Turn code into art as your digital patterns are stitched live by an automated embroidery machine from the University of Warwick
Join us for amazing talks hosted by Jackie Bell, renowned physicist, TEDx speaker, and BBC2 Astronauts finalist. Jackie will guide our audience through a series of inspiring talks by some of the UK’s most innovative engineers, revealing how their breakthroughs are reshaping industries, tackling global challenges, and driving a more sustainable future.
After each talk, take part in live Q&A sessions, where you can ask questions, gain insider insight, and hear directly from the minds behind some of the nation’s most exciting engineering innovations.
Speakers include:
· Kate Black (University of Liverpool, Founder of Atomkik) is transforming manufacturing with sustainable innovation solutions
· Yusuff Yussuf (Founder of Aeroknite) is exploring how drones together with AI can improve lives, helping to fight fires and creating holograms for aerial communication.
· Aled Roberts (Founder of DeKiln), is creating low-carbon ceramics and even “concrete for Mars” using his own blood and kitchen ingredients for inspiration
· Carl Grainer (Founder of Viz Box Ltd) is using immersive VR to improve patient rehabilitation
Event details:
Date: Tuesday, 4 November 2025Location: Camp and Furnace, 67 Greenland St, Liverpool L1 0BYTimings: Between 5 – 9 pm (talks 6 – 8 pm) – the first 100 people to sign up will receive a free drink
This is a drop-in event – you’re welcome to come and go at any time, no need to stay for the whole evening.
Age Restrictions
· Minimum age: 14+
· Attendees aged 14–18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (18+).
If you can’t make the event in person, we will be able to share photography and media assets after the event.
Sarah Jones Everyday Normal UK Tour
Sarah Jones embarks on a UK wide speaking tour in late October/early November with her Everyday Normal sessions.The debate about trans people has become incredibly toxic. The Supreme Court Judgment of April 2025 has had major repercussions for the lives of transpeople in the UK. Each day brings a new report about trans activists or anti-trans activists. In the Everyday Normal sessions, Sarah explores the reality of being trans and of being outed as the first person to be ordained by the Church of England having previously made a gender change. We’ll think about the issues and the concerns of today and we’ll look to the future to see what that might hold.We’ll laugh together. We might cry. Everyday Normal is a life-affirming session for people who would like an entertaining exploration and who would like to understand trans issues for themselves.
St Bride’s Church Percy St Liverpool L8 7LT
Kindling Farm Heritage Fair!
Christmas has arrived at Kindling Farm! Celebrate the festivities with a day of heritage craft making, mulled wine and Kindling treats for sale!
Join us this Christmas for a day of traditional crafts and heritage activities from an array of craftspeople and artisan makers from across the Northwest.
Get hands-on and give heritage crafts a go by joining drop-in workshops suitable for all the family, where you can make your own Christmas decorations and gifts. With demos on the day, you will learn about endangered traditional crafts from the people keeping them alive!
We will have Kindling Christmas trees and foodie delights available to buy from our Market Stall. Head to the Barn for a glass of mulled wine (non-alcoholic option available) or a hearty seasonal soup.Join us in the courtyard for carolling around the campfire and discover the history of Kindling Farm in a mini-exhibition curated by our volunteers and local community.
You must register to come to this event. Please visit our website to secure your place.
Metal Detecting for Beginners
What treasures will you discover at the farm?! We will be joined by members of South Lancashire and Cheshire Metal Detecting Club for a practical introduction to Metal Detecting.
During this practical half day workshop, the South Lancs & Cheshire Metal Detecting Club will guide beginners through the fundementals of metal detecting, teach us how to document our findings and introduce us to ethical practices. Supported by members of the group, you will head into one of our fields where you can put your learning into practice and develop your technique under the guidance of more experienced detectorists. Bring your treasure back to our Detectorist Finds Table in the barn!
This workshop is suitable for beginners. All equipment will be provided.
This activity is suitable for all ages however, please be mindful that it does involve walking across uneven ground for over an hour and being outdoors in all weathers so it might not suit everyone!
Please dress for the outdoors; we reccomend wearing sturdy shoes like wellies or walking boots and waterproofs.
You must register to come to this event. Please visit our website to secure your place.
The South Lancs & Cheshire Metal Detecting Club is reputed to be one of the oldest and one of the more successful Detecting Clubs in the UK. Founded in the autumn of 1978, the group work with farmers and land owners to coordinate metal detecting days for it’s members. Through their work, the group have raised thousands of pounds for various Charitable causes. The SLC meet on the first Wednesday of each month at St Basil’s Parish Centre on Hough Green Rd, Widnes WA8 4SZ from 8pm.
Kindling Farm’s Bat Walk!
All the family are welcome to Kindling Farm at dusk for a chance to spot these incredible aerial acrobats!
Guided by Tony, the Halewood Triangle Park Ranger, you will learn about the different species living in the UK and how to use a bat detector before venturing out into the fields where we will survey the night sky for bats! Join us from the earlier time of 5.30pm for hot chocolate in the barn!
This activity is suitable for all ages however, please be mindful that it does involve some walking across uneven ground and being outdoors in all weathers for over an hour, so it might not suit everyone!
This activity will finish no later than 8pm but please note that we might finish earlier depending on the amount of bat activity on that evening.
Much like us humans, bats are not a fan of rainy and windy conditions and are unlikely to venture outdoors in bad weather. We will be keeping a close eye on the weather forecast and be in touch as soon as possible if we need to cancel or rearrange this event.
Please dress for the outdoors; we recommend sturdy shoes like wellies or walking boots and waterproofs.
You must register for this event. Please visit our website to secure your place.
Heritage Taster Day: Preserving Seasonal Flavours
From preserves to pickles, curing and kimchi, people have been finding ways to prolong the life of fruit & veg for centuries. At this heritage taster day, we’ll be exploring smart ways to reduce food waste and make the most of your harvest using traditional preserving methods.
Join us in our field kitchen for a day of demos, tutorials and workshops with independent chefs, local community kitchens and foodie practitioners:
Fancy fermenting? Lucy Antal from The Alchemist Kitchen will be leading a 30 minute practical workshop teaching us the ancient art of making Kimchi. Up to 12 spaces available on a first-come-first served basis. Take your kimchi home to enjoy!
Campfire cooking with practitioner and farm member, Ali Holden who will be setting up a camp fire in the courtyard where you can try your hand at cooking jam over an open fire.
Join us in our field kitchen for a ‘waste not, want not’ demo with Greg from Eat Up Gud who’ll be cooking up exciting Caribbean dishes using produce from our fields including our glut of courgettes!
The Kindling Farm Market Stall will be open to buy fresh, seasonal produce grown at the farm.
There are two opportunities to attend this event. You can book a time slot between 10am-12.30pm or 2-4.30pm.
You must register to come to this event. Please visit our website to secure your place.
Little Liverpool Halloween Special
Join Winnie the spider and some of her friends for a spooktacular special in the Little Liverpool gallery at the Museum of Liverpool. Head along and explore their dedicated children’s gallery with some added Halloween themed fun.
Little Liverpool spooky specials are for visitors aged up to age 6 and their parents/carers. They have a limited number of tickets available at £2 per child. Tickets can be booked online or at the museum.
Spooky Sudley
Join the team at Sudley House this Hallowe’en for some ghostly goings on. What was that noise? A footstep on the stair? Your bedroom window creaking open? No, it was just the memory of the ghost story you heard in Sudley’s Library. Wasn’t it…?
Hallowe’en at Sudley House will be family friendly but we do recommend that their very youngest visitors might like to be pre-warned that the theme of the event will be a bit spooky! Don’t say they didn’t warn you!
Exhibition Private View – Back to the Drawing Board: 200 Years of Art Education
You’re invited to commemorate 200 years of the Liverpool School of Art at the Private View for Back to the Drawing Board: 200 Years of Art Education, an exhibition to showcase some of the known and lesser-known histories of art education in Liverpool.
The Private View will include small speeches from people associated with the School, drinks and light bites, a screening of Michael Swerdlow’s film Liverpool College of Art: Timelines, and a chance to explore the archive material in more depth.
16 Oct 17:00-19:00
LG and G FloorsMount Pleasant Campus Library29 Maryland StreetLiverpoolL1 9DE
The building is wheelchair accessible. Email archives@ljmu.ac.uk for all enquiries.
The exhibition will continue to run from 16 Oct – 19 Dec.
If you can’t make the event but are still interested in the Liverpool School of Art’s history, LJMU Special Collections & Archives manage the archival papers of the School which are available to browse here, and you can visit anything from our many collections by appointment anytime Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00.