Things to do this week: A Festive Snow Globe, A Christmas Orchestra and a Daytime Christmas Disco!

Morning! December is doing what December does best and throwing everything at the calendar. This week swings from walk in snow globes and roaming festive characters to candlelit concerts, quizzes, markets and the sort of food plans that quietly steal your evening. Plenty to dip into, easy to mix and match, and no need to overcommit unless you want to.

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?

❄️ - Festive Snow Globe & Walkabout Characters
📍 - Market Place
📅 - Sat 20th Dec
⏰ - 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
🎟️ - Free entry
📷 - @cathedralquarterderby

A giant walk-in snow globe lands by the Waterfall, ready for festive photos that will absolutely be used as profile pictures for at least a week. Around it, walkabout characters drift through the afternoon from midday to 4pm, including Elf on a Shelf, the Gingerbread Man, Ice King and Queen, and elves rolling past in motorised sleighs. Free, easy, and perfect if you want something Christmassy without rearranging your whole day.

TUESDAY:

Psychic and Paranormal Night - The Bless
7:30 PM | More Info

Poets Open Mic - Dubrek Studios
8:00 PM | More Info

WEDNESDAY:

Elf The Musical - Vaillant Live
5:00 PM | More Info

THURSDAY:

Art Group - Darley Abbey Village Hall
1:30 PM | More Info

The Card Show Before Christmas - QUAD
5:00 PM | More Info

FRIDAY:

Christmas by Candlelight - Derby Cathedral
2:00 PM | More Info

Merry Mini Veggie Night - Hannah Fields Community Garden
6:00 PM | More Info

Christmas Quiz - Derby Market Hall
6:30 PM | More Info

Brass and Voices Christmas Concert - Broadway Baptist Church
7:30 PM | More Info

SATURDAY:

Festive Market - Derby Market Hall
8:00 AM | More Info

Spencer Wilding Signing - Critical Hit
10:00 AM | More Info

Little Parks Walk - King George V Fields
2:00 PM | More Info

Santa’s Grotto Kid’s Party - Kingsway Pub Mackworth
2:00 PM | More Info

Daytime Disco Christmas Special - The Church
3:00 PM | More Info

Over 30’s Day Club Christmas Party - Popworld
3:00 PM | More Info

SUNDAY:

Grinchmas Breakfast - King’s Highway Pub Rowditch
9:00 AM | More Info

Santa Paws - Farmhouse at Mackworth
9:30 AM | More Info

Christmas Crufts - The Broadway
12:00 PM | More Info

Christmas Market - The Jonty Farmer
12:00 PM | More Info

Scrooge The Dining Experience Matinee - Old Bell Hotel
1:00 PM | More Info

The Sound of Christmas - Elvaston Castle
1:30 PM | More Info

Festive Afternoon Tea - Milly Mays Coffee Shop
2:00 PM | More Info

Christmas Carols - Jubilee Church
7:00 PM | More Info

SCRUMPTIOUS SCOOP

🍽️ - Leddy’s - Food That Makes You Sit Back And Nod
📍 - 38 High Street, Melbourne
⏰ - Thursday to Saturday: 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
📷 - @leddysrestaurant

Some places talk a big game about fine dining. Leddy’s just gets on with it. The menu is confident, well judged and quietly impressive from start to finish. Dishes are rich without being heavy, balanced without feeling clever for the sake of it, and every plate feels like someone genuinely cared before it left the kitchen.

The beef fillet is soft enough to make you pause mid conversation, paired with sweet potato and a pepper sauce that does all the talking. Brunch has its own following too, with French toast, caramel, grilled banana and ice cream blurring the line between breakfast and dessert.

Add a good glass of wine and suddenly the evening feels very well spent.

ACTIVITY ALLEY

🎻 - The Christmas Orchestra - What Happens When Christmas Gets Classy
📍 - Derby Cathedral
📅 - Tue 16th Dec
⏰ - 9:30 PM
🎟️ - From £32
📷 - @thechristmasorchestra @derbycathedral

A full chamber orchestra inside the cathedral playing the Christmas film themes everyone quietly knows by heart. Sixteen musicians, dramatic lighting, and a setlist pulled from Home Alone, Love Actually, Harry Potter and Elf. It feels polished without being stiff and festive without sliding into novelty jumper territory. Tickets are selling quickly, which tells you exactly what sort of night this is.

FRESH EXPERIENCES

🎶 - Yoga & Sound Workshop - Ninety Minutes of Switching Off
📍 - Hotpod Yoga
📅 - Sat 20th Dec
⏰ - 4:00 PM
🎟️ - £20
📷 - @hotpodyoga_derby

This is ninety minutes of switching your brain off before Christmas finishes it for you. A slow, gentle yoga flow followed by a full sound bath using quartz crystal singing bowls that hum, vibrate and quietly reset your nervous system. Bring blankets, pillows and anything else that makes lying still feel productive. It sold out last year for a reason. Ideal if December has been loud and you’d like it to stop for a bit.

LIVE MUSIC

Wednesday

• Open Mic Night - Ryans Bar - 6:00 PM

Thursday

• Underground Music Scene - Victoria Inn - 7:00 PM

• Slade UK - Flowerpot - 9:00 PM

Friday

• FTS Acoustic Live - Kensington Tavern - 8:00 PM

• Sham - White Horse - 8:30 PM

• Ultimate Coldplay - Flowerpot - 9:00 PM

• Ding n John Christmas - Red Cow Allestree - 9:00 PM

Saturday

• Lady Lindy - Derby Market Hall - 2:00 PM

• Sing a Long Christmas Carols - Tiny Tap - 7:00 PM

• Black Charade - Hairy Dog - 7:00 PM

• Midlife Crisis - Victoria Inn - 7:30 PM

• 5Heads - Spondon Liberal Club - 8:00 PM

• SoulDeep ft Fiona Kinsella - Quad - 8:30 PM

• Barioke - Needles Pub - 9:00 PM

Sunday

• Skarantinos - Smithfield - 4:00 PM

• Far Away Cows - Smithfield - 4:00 PM

• Driven - Spondon Liberal Club - 4:30 PM

• Luci Lou - Needles Pub - 5:00 PM

• Slady + Critical Candy - Hairy Dog - 5:00 PM

• Beggars Bliss - Victoria Inn - 6:00 PM

WEEKEND WEATHER

Friday
11°C 🌡️ 7°C | Cloudy.

Saturday
11°C 🌡️ 8°C | Cloudy.

Sunday
12°C 🌡️ 8°C | Cloudy.
Temperature readings taken from the Met Office the night before publication

THANKS!

Thanks for reading Local Scoop Derby today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who loves Derby as much as you do.

The Local Scoop Derby

MESSAGE US!

Have feedback for us or want to get your business in front of Derby locals? Email us at [email protected] or DM us at @local_scoop_derby