Breakfast with Santa & the Grinch 
📍 The Hungry Tortoise Café
🕘 Saturday mornings

Join us for a festive breakfast the whole family will love!
Meet Santa, Cindy Lou, and the Grinch himself while enjoying a delicious breakfast at The Hungry Tortoise Café.
Each family will have personal time with Santa to share Christmas wishes and capture some magical photos.

🎁 Every child will also receive their very own selection box!

Please note: Breakfast with Santa does not include entry into the park.

Christmas After Dark at Secret Valley 
🕒 3pm – 7pm

Step into the magic of the zoo after hours and see all the animals as night begins to fall. (Shhh… please be quiet around the sleepy ones!)

Then, head down to Elf Village, where festive adventure awaits:
🎁 Help the elves in their workshop engineer toys
✉️ Visit the Elf Post Office, write your card to Santa, and he’ll personally reply to your home address!
💚 Pop into the Grinch’s Lair for some mischievous fun
🦌 Make your own reindeer dust
🚜 Finish your journey with a magical tractor ride
☕ Enjoy a free hot chocolate for kids and a tea or Americano for adults
🍫 And of course — every child receives a selection box to take home!

Two unforgettable Christmas experiences, one magical place.

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‘Dublin Loves Christmas’ to light up the RDS

Opens on Saturday, 15th November and features:

A full-size undercover ice rink

An Observation Wheel with views across Dublin City

An 80-metre Drop Tower and 50-metre Starflyer plus gentle rides for younger visitors

A Spiegeltent which will host an exciting line-up of live entertainment

This festive season, Dublin’s iconic RDS in Ballsbridge will transform into a winter wonderland as it hosts Dublin Loves Christmas, a dazzling new celebration filled with festive magic for all the family.

Opening on Saturday 15 November, the free-entry event will open daily from 12pm to 9pm (Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday, event is not open on Mondays)and 12pm to 10pm (Thursday to Saturday), running until Tuesday 23 December 2025.

The launch was unveiled today with Santa popping into the RDS to spread some early festive cheer! 

Set within the stunning grounds of the RDS, visitors can look forward to a host of show-stopping attractions including a full-size undercover ice rink, a spectacular Observation Wheel offering breathtaking views across Dublin, and thrilling rides such as an 80-metre drop tower and 50-metre Starflyer. There’ll also be a selection of gentle rides perfect for younger visitors.

At the heart of Dublin Loves Christmas will be a Spiegeltent, set to host an exciting line-up of live entertainment and headline acts, with full details to be revealed soon.

We are delighted to be welcoming Dublin Loves Christmas at the RDS this year,” said Emer McGuirk, Commercial Director of the Royal Dublin Society “Our venue offers an incredible setting for families and visitors to come and enjoy the festive magic and create unforgettable memories.”

Carl Ramage Marketing Manager at Jordan Events Group Ireland, the event’s co-organiser, added, “The RDS is the perfect location for this spectacular new festive experience, and we’re thrilled to bring something truly special to Dublin this Christmas.”

Alongside the attractions, visitors can enjoy a traditional Christmas market, showcasing local food and drink producers and artisan gift specialists. Bavarian-style bars will provide the perfect place to relax and soak in the seasonal atmosphere.

Tickets for the ice-skating sessions – priced from €18 for adults and €13 for children – are available now at dublinloveschristmas.ie.