- Santa’s Grotto returns to Waterford’s Medieval Museum underground caverns for Winterval 2026.
- Tickets go on sale at 9 am on September 1 at winterval.ie.
- Tickets are priced at €26 per child with up to two adults free per child.
- Winterval runs every weekend from November 13 to December 23.
- The Hive is a new 1,200-capacity live entertainment venue for 2026.
Santa’s Grotto is set to return to the 12th-century underground caverns beneath Waterford’s Medieval Museum for Winterval 2026, with tickets going on sale at 9 am on September 1 at winterval.ie. Families journey beneath Ireland’s oldest city to discover the Christmas wonderland hidden beneath its medieval streets, where ancient stone walls provide the atmospheric setting for meeting Santa. Children enjoy festive games and activities before their meeting with Santa, where they share their Christmas wishes and receive a special gift to take home.
Each family receives a printed photograph of their visit as a keepsake, with tickets priced at €26 per child and up to two adults admitted free of charge per child. Places are limited and families advised to book early when tickets go on sale. Winterval runs every weekend from November 13 to December 23, with the Christmas market bringing artisan gifts, seasonal food and festive treats to Waterford’s historic squares.
The festival expands for 2026 with The Hive, a new 1,200-capacity venue hosting live entertainment including The High Kings on December 18, Bob Geldof and The Boomtown Rats, and Mad Ferritt as an Oasis tribute act. The festival includes Winterval on Ice, the lightshow, festive trails, the fairground and Panto across the historic city centre. Winterval offers experiences for both families and adults, with restaurants, cafés, shopping and live music creating atmosphere after dark.
Trevor Darmody shared: “As night falls, the city takes on a different kind of sparkle, with restaurants, cafés, shopping, festive food and a major programme of live music creating the perfect atmosphere for couples, friends and groups looking to make a weekend of it.”
