Shuttleworth in Lights runs on 12 nights from 4 December to 3 January, from £17. Plus a free Christmas market on 5 and 6 December and fireworks on 7 November.
Shuttleworth in Lights, the winter light trail through the Swiss Garden and the aircraft hangars at Old Warden, runs on four weekends: 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20 December 2026, and 1 to 3 January 2027. Tickets start at £17 for adults and £11 for children aged three and over. The same winter season brings a free Christmas market in Shuttleworth House on 5 and 6 December, and a new fireworks night on Saturday 7 November.
The quick answer
- Shuttleworth in Lights: 4-6, 11-13 and 18-20 December 2026, and 1-3 January 2027. Adults from £17, children 3+ £11, under-3s free.
- Christmas Market at Shuttleworth House: Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, 10am to 4pm, free entry, over 45 stalls.
- Fireworks Night: Saturday 7 November, gates 5pm, fireworks at 7pm, £12 adults online.
Shuttleworth in Lights
The Shuttleworth Trust describes the trail as its own take on a winter light trail, produced in-house by staff and volunteers. It lights up the listed features of the Swiss Garden and the aircraft, vehicles and machines in the Collection hangars, and the Trust says it deliberately does not use a Christmas theme.
| Weekend | Dates |
|---|---|
| 1 | Friday 4 to Sunday 6 December 2026 |
| 2 | Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December 2026 |
| 3 | Friday 18 to Sunday 20 December 2026 |
| 4 | Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January 2027 |
Tickets are from £17 for adults and £11 for children aged 3 and over; children aged 2 and under go free, and there is a group rate. The Trust’s own answers to common questions, from its Shuttleworth in Lights FAQs:
- How long it takes: the trail is about a mile and takes 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Dogs: welcome on Fridays only, on a lead.
- Getting in: event visitors use the Alder Drive entrance, SG18 9DT.
- Your normal ticket does not cover it: Shuttleworth’s 30-day daily admission ticket is not valid; you need a separate event ticket.
- Access: generally accessible, but it is an evening walk round a Grade II* listed site with many level changes, and some areas may not suit wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Staff can suggest alternative routes.
- Food and payment: the Runway Café is free to enter. The site prefers cards and mobile payments and cannot guarantee change for cash.
It is an outdoor event, so the Trust recommends warm, waterproof clothing and footwear. A route map comes by email before your visit.
Christmas Market at Shuttleworth House
The Christmas market fills the rooms of Shuttleworth House, the Trust’s Jacobean-style mansion, on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December 2026, 10am to 4pm. Entry is free, with more than 45 craft and gift stalls and, new this year, a marquee outside for extra traders and caterers. Parking is free but limited, and on grass. Buggies are not allowed inside the house.
It falls on the first Shuttleworth in Lights weekend, so the market by day and the trail after dark can be one trip.
Fireworks Night, Saturday 7 November
Shuttleworth has added a fireworks night for 2026, which it calls a new event:
- Gates, funfair and hangars open: 5pm
- Fireworks: 7pm to 7.15pm, with the hangars lit up behind
- Hangars close 8.30pm; funfair closes 8.55pm; the event ends at 9pm
- Tickets: £12 adults and £6 children if bought online in advance; £15 and £10 on the gate. Funfair rides cost extra, and tickets are non-refundable without ticket protection.
Bedford itself has no council fireworks display: see our Bedford fireworks page for the Bedford Blues display and what else is known.
Other Christmas events at Shuttleworth House
The Trust’s Christmas at Shuttleworth House programme also has, for adults:
- Murder Mystery: Christmas Special on Friday 4 and Friday 18 December, 7pm to 11pm, over-18s only, with a two-course dinner and a pantomime-themed plot.
- Christmas Casino Night on Saturday 28 November.
Still to be confirmed
- Shuttleworth in Lights session times for each evening: shown when booking.
- Festive closures of the Collection and Swiss Garden by day: the Trust says it is open daily “excluding select dates over the festive season”, listed on its opening times calendar.
Closer to home in December: the Bedford Santa Run on 13 December, the Corn Exchange pantomime from 19 December, and the Christmas lights switch-on.
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