A unique Christmas crisis calls for a unique Christmas event and Cheltenham Racecourse is answering the call in the most magical way imaginable with the help of household name, Craig Revel Horwood.
From 19th to 24th December, The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse will play host to Santa Claus himself as he is making an unprecedented pre-Christmas journey from his base in the North Pole to the UK with the support of one of the Nation’s most well-known faces. Known for his wit, theatrical flair, and scene-stealing presence as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, Craig Revel Horwood brings his directorial brilliance to this one-of-a-kind, immersive family experience.
With Craig at the helm, Santa - The Visit promises to be more than just a fab-u-lous festive day out, it’s a high-energy, heartwarming theatrical adventure packed with music, characters, magic, and a mission to save Christmas itself.
According to top-secret sources at GCHQ (who, it turns out, have been monitoring Santa for years), a rogue signal is disrupting the all-important Christmas spirit in the Cheltenham area. As everyone knows, Santa’s sleigh runs exclusively on Christmas spirit, so this development has placed the entire gifting operation in serious jeopardy.
Upon receiving the alert via the official Santa hotline, the big man in red wasted no time. He has assembled a team of elite elves from the F.I.A. (Festive Intelligence Agency) and is heading to Cheltenham to save Christmas before it’s too late.
Santa and his elves can’t do this alone. The F.I.A. is now recruiting temporary junior agents (aka Santa-loving children and their families) to help raise Christmas spirit levels and ensure the magic of Christmas can go ahead as planned.
This isn’t your average ‘garden centre’ Santa. This is the real deal! A fully immersive, theatrical festive mission featuring music, Christmas characters, puzzles to solve, and magical surprises throughout.
‘Santa - The Visit’ is perfect for believers of all ages. It is a thrilling and heartwarming Christmas adventure designed to bring families together in the spirit of the season. Audiences will play an active role in helping Santa and the F.I.A. identify the source of the problem and restore joy to Cheltenham and beyond.
Craig Revel Horwood, said: “Darlings, I am beyond thrilled to be teaming up with the one and only Santa Claus this December at Cheltenham Racecourse! Christmas is in a spot of bother – but never fear, because with a little theatrical flair, some Strictly-style sparkle, and a sprinkle of festive magic, we are going to save it together.
“‘Santa – The Visit’ is not just another meet-and-greet, oh no. It’s an immersive, musical, magical adventure where families will step into Santa’s world and become part of the mission to rescue Christmas spirit itself. Expect music, characters, laughter, and more than a few surprises along the way. I can’t wait to welcome you all, big kids and little ones alike to join Santa and his elite elves, on this extraordinary festive journey. It will be nothing short of… fab-u-lous!”
Guy Lavender, Chief Executive, Cheltenham Racecourse said: “Cheltenham Racecourse has welcomed some very distinguished, VIP guests over many years but perhaps this is our most unusual and exciting yet. We’re not entirely sure what to expect, let alone where we’ll park his sleigh, but we’re honoured and thrilled to host his visit and help play our part in saving Christmas for the people of Cheltenham and beyond.”
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime festive mission. Christmas needs you! Tickets are on general sale from Friday 26th September from £18 per person (plus booking fee).
To find out more visit www.santathevisit.com.
Additional information:
- When: 19th – 24th December 2025
- Where: The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse
- Approximate running time: 1hr 25 mins
- Tickets available from £18 per person (plus booking fee)
- Tickets on sale from Friday 26th September
- Suitable for believers of all ages!
