Skate St George’s Liverpool Christmas 2026

Key Points

• Skate St George’s will debut in St George’s Plateau, Liverpool, during the Christmas period in 2026.
• This new attraction will give visitors an outdoor skating experience next to St George’s Hall.
• Liverpool City Council has appointed Underbelly and Icebox Live as a result of competitive tenders.
• Icebox Live will run Liverpool Christmas Wonderland in Pier Head and will include a roofed ice rink, rides, games and many other experiences.
• Pop-up markets will be organized at various sites such as Basnett Street and Cunard Building.
• Liverpool Christmas Markets are attended by more than 500,000 people annually, according to Liverpool City Council.
• Ed Bartlam, one of the founders of Underbelly, mentioned that they were keen to offer a new seasonal attraction and work with the local community in Liverpool.
• Richard Elmer, founder of Icebox Live, expressed his pleasure in returning to Pier Head where they operated their business back in 2016.
• According to Liverpool City Council, the program is meant to help attract tourists, promote local businesses and improve the Christmas offering in Liverpool.
• Further information on the dates and ticketing arrangements for Skate St George’s will be announced by the event organizers.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) September 17, 2026 – A new outdoor ice-skating attraction will launch at St George’s Plateau beside St George’s Hall this Christmas, giving residents and visitors a new festive experience in the city centre.

Liverpool City Council announced the event as part of its wider 2026 Christmas programme. The plans include large-scale attractions at St George’s Hall and Pier Head, seasonal pop-up markets, family events and a series of activities being staged through Liverpool City Halls.

The council said Skate St George’s would provide an outdoor ice-skating experience in front of one of Liverpool’s most recognisable landmarks. It will be delivered by Underbelly, a live entertainment company that has produced festivals, theatrical events and seasonal attractions across the United Kingdom and internationally.

The announcement forms part of a broader expansion of Liverpool’s Christmas programme. Alongside Skate St George’s, the city will host Liverpool Christmas Wonderland @ Pier Head, a covered ice-skating rink with thrill rides, games and other festive experiences.

What is planned for Skate St George’s?

Skate St George’s will be positioned at St George’s Plateau, with St George’s Hall providing the backdrop for the outdoor rink. The location places the attraction in the heart of Liverpool’s city centre and close to existing cultural, retail, hospitality and transport facilities.

Liverpool City Council described the event as a new addition to the city’s seasonal offer. It is expected to complement the Christmas programme at Liverpool City Halls, which includes events such as A Christmas Carol and Carols by Lantern Light.

The council has not yet published all operational details for the attraction, including the final opening date, ticket prices, session arrangements and capacity. Interested traders have been directed to the Skate St George’s website for further information and commercial opportunities.

Underbelly will work with local community groups on creative, social-impact and sustainability initiatives connected with the new event. Liverpool City Council said further details of those initiatives would be announced in due course.

Ed Bartlam, co-founder of Underbelly, said the company was pleased to bring Skate St George’s to Liverpool. In a statement reported by Liverpool Express, Bartlam said the company had spent years producing festive experiences and wanted to bring that level of quality to the city.

He said the attraction would add something new to Liverpool’s existing Christmas programme and that the company was looking forward to working with the local community. Bartlam also highlighted the setting beside St George’s Hall as an important part of the experience.

Who will operate Liverpool’s 2026 Christmas attractions?

Liverpool City Council said contracts for the 2026 festive attractions were awarded to Underbelly and Icebox Live following a competitive tender process.

Underbelly will deliver Skate St George’s at St George’s Hall. The company was founded in 2000 by Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood and is known for producing festivals, live events, theatrical productions and cultural experiences.

According to Liverpool Express, Underbelly has been involved in events including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Underbelly Festival in London and Hong Kong, Christmas in Leicester Square, Skate Leicester Square, Pride in London, West End Live and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.

The company has also worked on events in international locations, including Dubai Expo. Its wider production work includes theatre, public celebrations and seasonal attractions.

Icebox Live will operate Liverpool Christmas Wonderland @ Pier Head. The company is built on the experience of The Icebox, which was established in 1993 by founder Richard Elmer.

Icebox Live has delivered seasonal attractions in locations including Cambridge, Vauxhall, Wembley Park, the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace. Liverpool City Council said the company had staged events in more than 23 countries.

What will happen at Pier Head?

Liverpool Christmas Wonderland @ Pier Head will be located beside the Three Graces on the waterfront. The attraction will include a covered ice-skating rink, thrill rides, games and other experiences.

Richard Elmer, founder of Icebox Live, said the company was honoured to operate in Liverpool again. In a statement published by Liverpool Express, Elmer said Icebox Live had first begun operating at Pier Head in 2016.

He referred to Pier Head as a significant setting because of its connection with Liverpool’s history and the presence of the Three Graces. Elmer said the company was pleased to return to the waterfront and intended to create an event for Liverpool residents and visitors.

The separate Pier Head attraction means Liverpool will have two major ice-skating offers during the 2026 festive season: the open-air Skate St George’s rink and the covered rink at Liverpool Christmas Wonderland.

The two attractions will be located in different parts of the city centre and will be operated by separate event companies. Their combined presence is expected to give visitors more choice when planning festive activities.

What markets and festive events are planned?

Liverpool City Council also announced a series of seasonal pop-up markets featuring local and independent businesses. Planned locations include Basnett Street and the Cunard Building, although the council said dates would be announced later.

The markets are intended to provide opportunities for independent traders, makers and other businesses to reach Christmas shoppers and visitors. Businesses interested in operating at the temporary markets or Liverpool’s year-round market locations have been directed to the council’s markets service.

The wider Liverpool City Halls programme will include family events, music and seasonal performances. Announced activities include Story Time with Santa, Carols by Lantern Light and A Christmas Carol.

The Christmas programme is therefore expected to combine commercial markets, ice skating, live entertainment, family events and waterfront attractions. The council said the events would be spread across several central locations rather than being limited to one venue.

Why are Liverpool’s Christmas Markets important to the city?

Liverpool City Council said its Christmas Markets attract more than 500,000 visitors each year. The council described the markets as one of the city’s most significant seasonal attractions.

According to the council, the Christmas programme helps increase city-centre footfall and hotel stays. It also supports local businesses and contributes to Liverpool’s wider visitor economy during the winter period.

Councillor Harry Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, said the Christmas Markets were an important part of Liverpool’s festive offer.

In a statement reported by Liverpool Express, Doyle said the markets attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and helped showcase Liverpool during the Christmas season. He said the council was pleased to expand the programme and build on the city’s reputation as a major festive destination.

The council’s plans place Skate St George’s within that wider economic and tourism strategy. The attraction is not being presented as an isolated ice rink but as part of a programme designed to encourage people to spend more time in Liverpool city centre.

How will local businesses be involved?

Local businesses will have opportunities to participate in the seasonal pop-up markets and, potentially, activities connected with the main events.

Liverpool City Council said Underbelly and Icebox Live would work with community groups on creative, social-impact and sustainability initiatives. The council did not provide full details of those projects in its announcement.

Traders interested in opportunities at St George’s Hall have been advised to contact the Skate St George’s operator directly. Businesses interested in the Basnett Street and Cunard Building markets will need to wait for the dates and application details to be confirmed.

The involvement of independent businesses is significant because Christmas events can direct visitor spending towards food, drink, retail and hospitality venues. The council said the wider festive programme would support local companies and enhance the visitor experience.

When will Skate St George’s open?

Skate St George’s is planned for the 2026 Christmas season, but Liverpool City Council’s announcement did not confirm a final opening date.

The council also did not publish ticket prices or detailed operating hours in the information available. Those details are expected to be released by the event operator.

Visitors planning to attend should check the official Skate St George’s information before making arrangements. Further details about Liverpool Christmas Wonderland @ Pier Head will be provided through the event’s official website, while the Liverpool City Halls website will carry information about the wider city-centre programme.

The absence of confirmed dates means visitors should avoid relying on unofficial listings until the organisers publish the final schedule.

What did the organisers say about the new event?

Ed Bartlam said Underbelly wanted Skate St George’s to become a new seasonal highlight for Liverpool. He referred to the city as an already strong Christmas destination and said the event would complement its existing programme.

Bartlam also stressed the importance of the location, with the rink set against the backdrop of St George’s Hall. His statement indicated that the event would combine the physical setting of the historic building with Underbelly’s experience in producing large public events.

Richard Elmer said Icebox Live was pleased to return to Pier Head after its earlier work at the waterfront. He highlighted the Three Graces and the historic character of the location.

Both statements focused on the events’ settings, their contribution to Liverpool’s Christmas programme and their intended appeal to residents and visitors. Neither organiser announced final visitor numbers or specific performance targets.

Background to Liverpool’s Christmas development

Liverpool’s 2026 festive programme follows a competitive tender process conducted by Liverpool City Council. The process resulted in Underbelly receiving the contract for the St George’s Hall attraction and Icebox Live receiving the contract for the Pier Head event.

The new arrangement introduces a separate outdoor ice-skating experience at St George’s Hall while retaining a major waterfront Christmas attraction. The council is also expanding the programme through pop-up markets and City Halls events.

Liverpool Christmas Markets have become an established part of the city’s annual festive calendar. The council says they attract more than 500,000 visitors each year and contribute to footfall, hotel stays and local business activity.

Underbelly brings experience from UK and international festivals, theatre productions and seasonal events. Icebox Live has a long history of creating ice-skating and Christmas attractions, including previous activity at Liverpool’s Pier Head.

The 2026 programme will also include opportunities for community involvement and local trading. However, the council has said that further details about the creative, social-impact and sustainability initiatives will be announced later.liverpoolexpress

How could Skate St George’s affect Liverpool visitors and businesses?

Skate St George’s could give Liverpool residents and visitors another central activity during the Christmas season, particularly for families, tourists and people attending other events at Liverpool City Halls.

The open-air setting at St George’s Hall may also encourage visitors to combine ice skating with shopping, dining, market visits or cultural activities nearby. The Pier Head attraction will offer a separate covered rink and additional entertainment, giving visitors a choice between two major festive venues.

For local businesses, increased visitor numbers could create additional demand for accommodation, restaurants, cafés, shops and transport services. The council’s stated aim is to increase footfall and support the local economy, although the exact financial impact will depend on attendance, spending patterns and the final programme.

Independent traders may benefit from the planned pop-up markets, but participation will depend on the application process, event dates and commercial terms. Visitors and businesses should wait for official announcements before making firm plans because ticketing, opening times and market schedules have not yet been fully released.