What's On

Sunday 30th November 11am-4pm, with Father Christmas & friends from 11am-2pm.

There’s something for all ages, with a range of free family activities, including:

• Weather permitting - a very special guest will be joining us. Father Christmas, accompanied by his Scottish reindeer friends from the free-roaming Cairngorm Reindeer Herd.
• The reindeer will be on site from 11am-2pm. They and Father Christmas, will be doing a short walk from their pen and arriving at Mount Stuart house from 11.30am.
• Important: blue badge holders. Please note, access to accessible parking will be suspended from approx. 11:15am-12 midday for Father Christmas, on site staff will be happy to advise you.
• Elf Trail in the Rock Garden. Pick up a map from the mulled wine stall and see how many festive surprises you can spot. Remember to get your map stamped (and pick up a prize) once you’ve completed the trail and tag us when posting!
• Fairy Factory in the Learning Studio. These sessions are being delivered by Achievement Bute and offer 40-45 minutes of Fairy craft workshops. You can sign up on the day - please note, numbers are limited to 12 per session and they are on a first come, first served basis and will run 11:15am-3:15pm.  
• If you missed our 30th Anniversary exhibition 'From Brick to Building: Mount Stuart's Development', you can visit curated highlights in the Armoury.

We’re delighted to partner with the Isle of Bute Artists’ Collective (IBAC) and other local producers to bring you our Festive Craft Market and Stalls, a celebration of creativity, community, and Christmas spirit.

Discover unique handcrafted gifts and artworks from a host of talented makers, including Animac, Carol Nunan, Mags Maclaren, Yennie van Oostende, Liz Wren, Dilys Foster, Stephen Doak, Laura Herrington, Elspeth McVey, Mike Hislop, Gordon Stevenson, John Lawson, Gianna Milani, Susan Whyte, Ruth Slater, Susan Myler, Sarah Jane Hemsley, Tim Saul, and Paul Simpson. 

With some wonderful, locally produced drinks from the Isle of Bute Coffee Company, Isle of Bute Distillery and the Braw Liquor Club. 

The Courtyard Café will be open from 11am-4pm, serving a delicious selection of seasonal snacks and drinks, the perfect complement to a day of festive local shopping. You can also enjoy a warming mulled wine and mince pie from our pop-up stand.

Useful info:

• Entry is free and no ticket is required.
• As a charitable trust, we gratefully welcome any donations to support our work, please find more details here.
• To make transactions easier on the day, cash is recommended for purchases and donations, as Wi-Fi and mobile signal can be limited across the grounds.
• Entrance is by the main front gate only and limited parking will be available on site.
• The primary car park is Blackwood (the former visitor car park) which we will ask visitors to use first, followed by the current visitor car park.
• Blue badge holders may use the accessible spaces at Mount Stuart House except at approx. 11.15am-12midday for the reindeer walk.
• Apple Tree Nursery have generously loaned MST their mini bus and will be running to and from Blackwood to Mount Stuart House. It seats 16 people and we estimate it will take around 15/20 mins to do a round trip, depending on traffic.
• MST are not providing any transport from the ferry to Mount Stuart House.
• Visitors travelling by bus should check West Coast Motors timetables. Important: please note, as we are out of season, buses will NOT drive inside the grounds and to the house. They will stop at the public bus stops. It is an approx. 20-30-minute walk through the grounds.
• All activities, timings, and appearances are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or circumstances beyond our control.
• Reindeer are managed in accordance with animal welfare and safety regulations. Please visit the free-range Cairngorm Reindeer Herd site should you wish to read more about them.
• Festive snacks and drinks will be served at Courtyard Cafe. Please speak to café staff for full ingredient and allergen information.
• Photography & Filming: Photography and filming may take place during the event for promotional use by Mount Stuart Trust and its partners. By attending, you give implied consent unless you inform staff on site otherwise.
• Drone Use: Drone filming and photography are not permitted on site at any time on 30th November.
• At all other times, prior approval from MST is required. Please see our policies page for more details.
• Lastly, we kindly ask you NOT TO BRING DOGS to the Christmas fair. We and the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd appreciate your support with this.

We look forward to welcoming you for a magical, festive community experience at Mount Stuart!