Birmingham United Kingdom
Things to do in Birmingham in December 2026
By ValidaTrip Research · Updated June 3, 2026
For Birmingham in December 2026, build the day around dated events, seasonal conditions, venue hours, and booking windows. Dated picks to verify first include Winter in Southside Festival and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: Christmas Exhibition. Check the event list and public holidays below before assigning fixed dates.
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Birmingham in December 2026
Weather
Temperature
45°F / 37°F
7.1°C / 2.7°C
Precipitation
17d
2.5in · 64.6mm
Daylight
8h
Cold holiday month built around markets, shopping, pubs, and indoor culture.
Events & festivals
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Winter in Southside Festival
A month-long celebration of winter with food, drink, music, and arts events in Birmingham's Southside district. — Most events free; some require tickets.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: Christmas Exhibition
Special Christmas-themed exhibition showcasing festive art and historical displays. — Included with museum admission; advance booking recommended.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
A huge exhibition centre, staging more than 180 exhibitions each year in 21 halls totalling 200,000 m². Also has a 12,000-seat arena hosting national and international sporting and entertainment events.
Source: Month Signals
- Dec 2 – Dec 31
- Dec 3 – Dec 31
- Dec 3 – Dec 31
Show all 40 events for December
- Dec 3 – Dec 31
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
- Dec 5 – Dec 6
The NEC Christmas Craft Fair
A festive craft fair at the National Exhibition Centre featuring handmade gifts and seasonal products. — Entry fee applies; tickets available online.
Source: festival research
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 6 – Dec 31
- Dec 6 – Dec 31
- Dec 8 – Dec 31
Disney's Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert - Film with Live Orchestra
Arts & Theatre · Theatre
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 8 – Dec 31
- Dec 9 – Dec 31
- Dec 9 – Dec 31
- Dec 10 – Dec 27
Birmingham Royal Ballet Christmas Season
Annual Christmas performances by Birmingham Royal Ballet, including classics like The Nutcracker at the Birmingham Hippodrome. — Tickets required; book in advance.
Source: festival research
- Dec 10 – Dec 31
- Dec 11 – Dec 31
- Dec 11 – Dec 31
- Dec 12 – Dec 30
Birmingham Hippodrome Christmas Pantomime
Traditional family pantomime performances during the Christmas season at Birmingham Hippodrome. — Tickets required; book early.
Source: festival research
- Dec 12 – Dec 31
- Dec 13 – Dec 31
- Dec 13 – Dec 31
- Dec 15 – Dec 31
The Big Christmas Sing A-Long with Aled Jones and Alexander Armstrong
Arts & Theatre · Classical
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 15 – Dec 31
- Dec 16 – Dec 31
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Dec 18 – Dec 31
- Dec 18 – Dec 31
- Dec 19 – Dec 31
Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring In Concert
Arts & Theatre · Classical
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 19 – Dec 31
- Dec 20 – Dec 31
- Dec 22 – Dec 31
- Dec 23 – Dec 31
- Dec 27 – Dec 31
- Dec 28 – Dec 31
Public holidays
- Dec 25Christmas Day
- Dec 28St. Stephen's Day
Planning checklist
- 1Check the 40 dated Birmingham events for anything that overlaps your exact December dates before assigning fixed sightseeing days.
- 2Hold flexible plans around the 2 public holidays in United Kingdom; museums, markets, and government-run sights can switch hours.
- 3Group each Birmingham day by nearby neighborhoods, then validate the saved places against your trip dates before exporting the checked route to Google Maps.
Build your Birmingham plan for December
Start fresh — type or paste places you're considering — and ValidaTrip checks every one against your December dates: opening hours, closures, what needs booking ahead, and which Birmingham events overlap your trip. Already have a list from a friend or an AI itinerary? Paste it and we'll check that too.
Build my Birmingham planAbout Birmingham
City overview
Birmingham is England's second-city metro core, with canals, industrial heritage, concert halls, major shopping, universities, curry houses, and creative quarters wrapped around a dense rail-connected center. Its month-to-month appeal is less about beach weather and more about indoor culture, Christmas-market demand, concert calendars, and useful rail day trips.
Food & drink
Birmingham is one of Britain's strongest food cities, from Balti Triangle curry houses and Michelin dining to Chinatown, pub food, Digbeth food halls, and canal-side restaurants. Book destination restaurants early, and treat Moseley, Kings Heath, and the Jewellery Quarter as better evening neighborhoods than the shopping core.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- ABirmingham Back to Backs
- BLibrary of Birmingham
- CBirmingham Museum & Art Gallery
- DSymphony Hall & ICC
- EBullring & Grand Central
- FThinktank Birmingham Science Museum
- GCadbury World
- HJewellery Quarter
1Birmingham Back to Backs
4.8★ · 1,707indoorClosed MonNational Trust preserved court of working-class houses showing urban life from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Wikipedia
2Library of Birmingham
4.6★ · 2,169indoorClosed SunLandmark public library with terraces, archives, architecture, and views over Centenary Square.
Wikipedia
3Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
4.5★ · 10,380indoorClosed Mon/TueCivic museum and gallery collection, best treated as a weatherproof city-center anchor when galleries are open.
Wikipedia
Show 5 more sights
- 4Symphony Hall & ICC
- 5Bullring & Grand Central
- 6Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
- 7Cadbury World
- 8Jewellery Quarter
Neighborhoods
1City Centre
Rail stations, shopping, museums, theatres, canals, and the easiest base for a short stay.
2Jewellery Quarter
Historic workshops, independent bars, boutique hotels, museums, and a quieter evening scene.
3Digbeth
Street art, warehouses, music venues, food halls, clubs, and creative businesses east of the core.
4Brindleyplace & Canals
Restaurants, waterside paths, the ICC, Symphony Hall, and convention-focused hotels.
5Edgbaston
Leafy university, cricket, botanical gardens, and smarter restaurants south-west of the center.
6Moseley & Kings Heath
Independent pubs, music, parks, and local dining for a neighborhood night out.
Show 24 more neighborhoods
- 7Aston
- 8Avondale
- 9Avondale Park Historic District
- 10Bantock House
- 11Bearwood
- 12Birmingham Civil Rights District
- 13Bromford
- 14Bullring
- 15Castle Vale
- 16Chillington
- 17Coughton
- 18Deritend
- 19Drayton Manor Resort
- 20Eastside
- 21Elyton
- 22Ensley
- 23Harborne
- 24Hartlebury
- 25Harvington
- 26Hilltop
- 27Hockley
- 28Langley
- 29Lozells
- 30Marston Green
Day trips
55km / 45-60 min by train
Stratford-upon-Avon
Shakespeare sites, river walks, theatres, and a compact historic center.
45km / 40 min by train plus walk
Warwick Castle
Large medieval castle attraction with seasonal shows and family programming.
30km / 40 min by train
Lichfield
Cathedral city with historic streets, Samuel Johnson links, and an easy half-day scale.
Getting around
Birmingham is best reached and explored by train, tram, bus, and walking in the center. New Street, Moor Street, and Snow Hill make regional day trips simple; use taxis or rideshare for late-night Digbeth, Edgbaston, Moseley, and Kings Heath hops.
Common questions about Birmingham in December
- Will the places on my list be open when I'm in Birmingham in December?
- Not always. Opening days and hours vary by weekday, season, and holiday. Paste your Birmingham list into ValidaTrip and it checks every place against the exact dates you're there, flagging closures before the trip instead of at a locked door.
- How do I plan Birmingham days without crossing the city twice?
- ValidaTrip groups your places by neighborhood so each day stays in one or two areas instead of zig-zagging. It also flags what needs booking ahead, so timed tickets and reservations don't fall through.
- What are the best things to do in Birmingham in December 2026?
- Birmingham in December works best around Birmingham Back to Backs, Library of Birmingham, and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Check Winter in Southside Festival if it overlaps your dates. Cold holiday month built around markets, shopping, pubs, and indoor culture.
- Is December a good time to visit Birmingham?
- Yes. Cold holiday month built around markets, shopping, pubs, and indoor culture.
- What is happening in Birmingham in December 2026?
- Birmingham has 40 dated events in December 2026; start with Winter in Southside Festival, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: Christmas Exhibition, and National Exhibition Centre and confirm tickets before planning the day around them.
- What should I wear in Birmingham in December?
- A warm coat and insulating layers for average highs around 7°C / 45°F. A heavier evening layer because nights average 3°C / 37°F. Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 17 rainy days.
- Best rainy-day things to do in Birmingham in December
December averages 17 rainy days in Birmingham, so keep these indoor stops as realistic backups.
- Birmingham Back to Backs — National Trust preserved court of working-class houses showing urban life from the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Library of Birmingham — Landmark public library with terraces, archives, architecture, and views over Centenary Square.
- Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery — Civic museum and gallery collection, best treated as a weatherproof city-center anchor when galleries are open.
- Symphony Hall & ICC — Concert and conference complex around Centenary Square, key for evening plans and event-driven hotel demand.
- Bullring & Grand Central — Large shopping and rail-linked retail district beside New Street station and the Selfridges landmark.
- What to pack for Birmingham in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Birmingham checklist.
- A warm coat and insulating layers for average highs around 7°C / 45°F.
- A heavier evening layer because nights average 3°C / 37°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 17 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Birmingham
- 3 days covers the main Birmingham highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Birmingham worth visiting in December
- Yes. Birmingham in December: 7.1°C high, 2.7°C low, 64.6mm rain over 17 days, 8h daylight. Mild but rainy — flexible plans pay off.