Enchanted Winter Garden at Antrim Castle: We went along on the first night and here's the verdict

The gardens – well worth a visit at any time of the year – are turned into a truly magical illuminated wonderland for a few weeks each winter, with visitors travelling from near and far to soak up the atmosphere.

Having visited the festive attraction previously, we were keen to see if much had changed … and we certainly weren’t disappointed when we went along on the first night.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council had promised the Enchanted Winter Garden would be ‘bigger and better than ever’ and it’s fair to say, we were very impressed with what we found.

It certainly wasn’t a case of having seen it all before. New lights and different layouts ensured that anyone who had been on previous years wouldn’t be at all disappointed.

From the minute you walk up to the entrance at the beautifully decorated Barbican Gate in Antrim town centre you are filled with anticipation for what lies ahead and of course children are especially full of excitement as they get a first glimpse of the first lights. Stroll down through the welcome area and on to the start of the beautiful magical illuminations – a popular spot for some memorable photos.

As you make your way right through to Clotworthy Courtyard and the Parterre, you are in the middle of a magical wonderland with thousands of sparkling bulbs and twinkling fairy lights washing the trees and turrets of these beautiful gardens with a sea of festive colour.

We found that there was plenty for all ages to enjoy at the 2023 Enchanted Winter Garden, from fun-loving families with children to young people having a great night out together as well as couples and singles enjoying a stroll through the magical landscape. It was also lovely to see that quite a number of people had brought along their well-behaved dogs on leads along too, some even dressed up with their festive coats.

There were plenty of staff on duty throughout the gardens, making everyone feel safe and welcome and ensuring a family-friendly atmosphere.

On your way round you’ll come across a variety of attractions which you might want to go on depending on your thrill-seeking level.

The giant wheel, surrounded by thousands of lights, is well worth a go for unbeatable views of the winter wonderland some 40 metres in the air.

There’s also the Enchanted Spinner, the largest travelling rollercoaster in the country; Dazzling Teacups, a favourite with all children; the Wave Swinger for high-flyng fun; Santa’s Toy Ride which is perfect for little ones; the Helter Skelter offers a modern twist on a family favourite and Santa’s Train Ride is a delightful treat for little ones. Of course, Santa himself is in his grotto just waiting to hear all those Christmas wishes.

The Festive Fayre features a variety of vendors selling tasty food and drinks – ‘dirty fries’ including festive varieties seeming to be a particularly popular option this year – and there’s a large picnic-style seating area for people to sit at a table and relax as they enjoy their food. There’s also a marshmallow roasting station which was proving a busy spot as we passed by. There are other stalls with a variety of festive gifts on sale.

As you wander through the gardens there’s a good chance you’ll bump into some Christmas characters including The Grinch and festive fairies who add plenty of fun to the atmosphere, along with other festive street entertainers.

The Enchanted Winter Garden runs until Tuesday, December 19. There are two inclusive evenings on Wednesdays 6 and 13 December for those with additional needs.

Tickets are £10 for an adult, £7 for a child (children under the age of two go free) and £30 for a family ticket, with tokens purchased separately for rides and attractions. To make your money go further, you can pre-buy a £10 bag of tokens for the various rides and get 12 for the price of 10. A discounted ticket price freeze applies to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough residents.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.enchantedwintergarden.com

There is no car parking available in Antrim Castle Gardens but parking, including plenty of accessible provision, in all Antrim town centre car parks. There is also a free Park and Ride service from The Junction which will run throughout the opening hours of the event.

On a crisp winter evening there’s no doubt a visit to the Enchanted Winter Garden will give you a warm, festive glow if you wrap up warm and embrace the joy of the season.