What's On in Aviemore

Sat 14 Nov

Cairngorm Ski Club Snowsports Sale

Dalfaber Country Club, Aviemore

Cairngorm Ski Club's sale of second-hand and new ski and snowboard kit and clothing runs from 3:30pm to 5:30pm at Dalfaber, with £1 entry for adults and children free.

Sat 21 Nov – Sun 21 Feb

Ancient Forest Twi-LIGHTS at Landmark

Landmark Forest Adventure Park, Carrbridge

Landmark Forest Adventure Park at Carrbridge lights its pinewood trail, the treetop Red Squirrel Trail and a UV tunnel after dark on selected evenings between 21 November 2026 and 21 February 2027.

Sat 28 Nov – Thu 24 Dec

Cairngorm Reindeer Christmas Fun

Cairngorm Reindeer Centre paddocks, Glenmore

The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd puts four to six reindeer and Santa in his bothy in its outdoor paddocks from 10am to 4pm on 28-29 November, 5-6, 12-13 and 20-21 December and 22-24 December, at £7.88 a person.

Sat 28 Nov – Thu 24 Dec

Santa's Elf Express (Strathspey Railway)

Strathspey Railway, Aviemore station

The Strathspey Railway's Christmas steam train, with Santa and his elves on board, runs on selected dates as a return trip of about 1 hour 45 minutes that starts and ends at Aviemore station.

Fri 4 Dec

Boat of Garten Christmas Market Free

Boat of Garten Community Hall

Boat of Garten's annual Christmas market fills the village community hall from 4pm to 7pm with local makers' stalls, food and drink, and entry is free.

Sat 5 – Sun 13 Dec

Santa's Grotto at Cairngorm Mountain

Cairngorm Mountain base station (Cas Bar and Day Lodge)

Santa's grotto at the Cas Bar on 5, 6, 12 and 13 December was sold out as of 27 October 2026, but the Cairngorm reindeer stand outside the Day Lodge from 11am to 3pm for all visitors on those days.

Sun 6 Dec

Badaguish Christmas Fayre and Santa's Grotto

Badaguish Outdoor Centre, Glenmore

The Speyside Trust's Christmas fayre in the pines at Badaguish runs from 10:30 to 15:00 with stalls from local crafters and producers, hot food and drink, and a visit to Santa for children.

Sat 12 Dec

Aviemore Santa Run

Glenmore Lodge

The Santa Run in aid of Disability Snowsport UK starts at noon from Glenmore Lodge on a 5K woodland trail or a shorter Merry Mile for families, with hot drinks, mince pies, live music and a Christmas market.

Sat 19 – Sun 20 Dec

Festive Grotto at Highland Wildlife Park

Highland Wildlife Park, near Kincraig

Highland Wildlife Park runs a Santa's grotto in 10-minute slots from 10:20am to 3:30pm, from £18 for one child plus a booking fee, with park admission bought separately.

Sun 27 Dec – Tue 5 Jan

Mince Pie Specials (Strathspey Railway)

Strathspey Railway, Aviemore station (Platform 3)

Between Christmas and New Year the Strathspey Railway runs two steam trains a day from Platform 3 at Aviemore, at 12.30 and 15.00, on 27-30 December and 1-5 January, with a mince pie for every passenger.

Thu 31 Dec

Hogmanay with the Red Hot Chilli Pipers

Macdonald Aviemore Resort

Macdonald Aviemore Resort's Hogmanay night runs from 7pm to 2am with a four-course dinner and a headline set by the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, at £150 a head and for over-12s only.

Sun 3 Jan

Loch Morlich Running Festival

The Hayfield, Glenmore, by Loch Morlich

Fitnessat58's New Year trail race starts at 12pm from the Hayfield at Glenmore, with 5K and 10K routes through Glenmore Forest and along Loch Morlich, adult entry £30 or £35.

Sat 4 Sept

Carve Carrbridge

Carrbridge village

Carrbridge hosts the Scottish Open Chainsaw Carving Competition for a day, with a grand auction and family activities; advance tickets go on sale in mid July 2027.