Low-cost activities and entertainment

If you are looking after your money, there are lots of things you can do in Portsmouth without having to splash out. Find them all here, including free museums, events and activities.

Portsmouth Leisure card can get you discounts on everything from swimming to top attractions. See if you’re eligible
Check out low cost ways to travel to events and activities in and around Portsmouth including reduced fare bus travel until November 2024 and discounted bus fares for young people

You can see full details of what’s on in December and all year round at Visit Portsmouth

If you have a child or young person with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), visit the Portsmouth Local Offer website to find low-cost activities for those with SEND.

Adventure playgrounds and Portsmouth youth clubs are free open-access services for children and young people aged 6-13 and 11-19 (up to 25 for SEND). Find more details at PYC Portsmouth.

Browse our selection of low-cost activities for families this December

December is here! Find a selection of fantastic, low-cost and FREE family-friendly activities and events, all in one place.

See all events (paid for and free), all year round at Visit Portsmouth

1 to 22 December – Christmas at Boathouse No.4, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Join Boathouse 4 for a whole host of festive activities!

Christmas activities for all the family including:

Festive badge making (50p per badge).
Design your own tree decoration (£1.50 per decoration).
Christmas activity sheet (with a prize to be won at the end).
Rope making (subject to availability).

Remember, Boathouse 4 is FREE to enter. Just ask for a Historic Quarter pass at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Visitor Centre.

2 and 3, 9 and 10, 16 and 17 December Love Southsea markets – Diverse traders offering everything from beautiful artwork, vintage clothing, candles to make your house smell divine, screen-printed T-shirts and bags, incredible photography featuring the wonderful surroundings of Portsmouth and Southsea, gorgeous gifts, homewares, jewellery, and more. Gifts to suit every pocket.

2 and 3 December – Staggeringly Good Christmas market is a family-friendly event which will be bursting with local, independent traders – including artists, crafts and music, plus foodie and boozy offerings! FREE

3 December – ‘From Darkness to light‘ an advent carol service at Portsmouth Cathedral. Free entry

8 December – Friday lates at Aspex Gallery. Enjoy art after dark and explore current exhibitions with music, immersive visual art and more. Tickets are pay what you can and range from £0-£8.

9 December – Carols on the Green – Wrap up warm and head to the green outside Portsmouth Cathedral to sing traditional Christmas carols with friends and family, accompanied by a brass band. FREE

9 and 10 December – We Create Market at former Dorothy Perkins store in Cascades. Full of local crafts and artisan gifts, the We Create Market is an opportunity to celebrate and shop Portsmouth’s independent designers, makers, and artists. FREE

9 and 10 December – Festival of Christmas at Port Solent – Explore more than 100 market stalls and enjoy live music from local bands and choirs, street entertainment and delicious food and drink. It’s the perfect festive day out to get you in the Christmas spirit. FREE

9 and 19 December – Family craft club with ‘Mrs Blossom makes’ Tickets from £1

9 December – Wool-wrapped reindeer Get your house ready for Christmas and make a wool-wrapped reindeer hanging decoration.
19 December – Giant gingerbread men and Christmas tree decor Get into the festive spirit with Mrs Blossom Makes and make your own giant gingerbread man and wooden Christmas tree decoration.

On now until 31 December – Gunwharf Quays Christmas Village is open every day at Gunwharf Quays Plaza, Sunday to Wednesday 10am to 7pm & Thursday to Saturday 10am to 8pm. No need to book, entry is FREE.

14 December – Berry Christmas! The Friends of Portsdown Hill host a festive guided walk exploring the berries on display in the early winter landscape. FREE. Wrap up warm.

16 to 23 December – The Christmas HAF Fun Pompey programme is free for benefits related free school meal families. See a full list of HAF funded activities

There is a fantastic range of activities and events including some for all the family. Visit Santa’s Grotto, go sailing, play in a 3×3 basketball tournament, panto visits, go ice skating and plenty more. There will be good, tasty food including some Christmas themed dinners and the odd festive treat!

To see a list of pay as you go options visit the HAF Pay As You Go page.

17 December – Hampshire Farmers’ Market at Palmerston Road, Southsea on the third Sunday of every month. The market brings beautiful, fresh local produce to fill your Christmas table.

Now until 30 December – Portsmouth Christmas Market – Commercial Road. Great gift ideas, festive goodies and treats such as German sausages and glühwein, Christmas stockings, tree decorations and plenty of places to relax and chill in a selection of great independent eateries around the city centre. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays the market offers even more, including fresh produce, gift ideas, clothing and seasonal products for a great Christmas. Find out more about Portsmouth Christmas Market.

Now until 23 December – Art exhibition, ‘Structurally unsound’ by artist Ruth Petersen at The Aspex Gallery, Gunwharf Quays. Ruth is a textile artist who focuses on socio-political themes, coming from her experience living on The Ledbury Estate; four thirteen-storey council tower blocks in London. FREE entry.

Find low-cost things to do in Portsmouth all year-round

See a selection of fantastic low cost or free events and activities for families all year-round.

Adventure playgrounds – Adventure awaits 6-13 year olds at our six free adventure playgrounds. Every playground has a huge climbing structure designed to test agility, balance and imagination. Kids can also enjoy: splash pools, sports, sand pits, arts and crafts, cookery, games areas, wood workshops and more.

Free swimming for under 12s in Portsmouth.

Eastney Engine House – free admission to both engine houses on the last Sunday of every month from 10am to 4pm (apart from August and December), and the Gas Engine House every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm. Get up close to these marvels of Victorian engineering.

Family Saturdays at Aspex Gallery – free creative workshops suitable for the whole family. Explore a different creative activity each week, such as painting, model making, print making, and inventing in relaxed sessions suitable for all ages, interests and abilities. Drop in and take part any time from 11am to 1pm every Saturday!

Goodgym – Get fit and do good at the same time by joining a group of local residents who run, walk, or cycle to help out community projects and older people in Portsmouth. Find out how you can get involved

Home-Start Portsmouth run free Stay and Play Groups for children (aged 0-5) and their families in family hubs. There are 12 sessions a week and spaces can be booked online.

Pompey Tots at Portsmouth Cathedral – a free, fun session for 0-4-year-olds every Wednesday at 2pm.

Portsmouth Libraries – free events throughout the week for children and adults. Local libraries are also welcoming spaces to go and read books, get online with free Wifi and stay warm.

Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery – free entry, take a walk through Portsmouth’s heritage, discover the world of Sherlock Holmes, see fascinating works of art, trace the history of Portsmouth FC and more.

Portsmouth Natural History Museum – free entry to Cumberland House where you can take a walk through the A-Z of Natural History, get up close with a huge dinosaur, and visit the wonderful Butterfly House. Open Tuesday to Sunday.

Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson – this museum has free entry, it’s £3 to park and there’s normally events on during the school holidays.

Find opening times and details of events and activities at all Portsmouth museums

Rambler’s Wellbeing Walks. Walking is free and can have a positive impact on physical and mental health. Join one of our volunteer-led walks in Portsmouth. They are a great way to meet people and improve wellbeing. There are some great incentives too, including a Wellbeing Walks water bottle, 15% Discount at Millets and more.

Ship-spotting is a great free activity to do throughout the year, with lots of different ferries, cruise ships and cargo ships sailing to and from Portsmouth International Port. Check out the arrivals and departures on the port website to see what is coming and going. You can also look at the cruise schedule and the Portico vessel planner to check what’s happening in the future.

Southsea Castle – this historical attraction is free of charge and is open between April and October each year. The courtyard is open year-round. Visitors can explore the keep, enjoy panoramic views to the Isle of Wight and Solent, and enjoy a bite to eat in The Courtyard.

The Parenting Network run a variety of free groups for families, including stay and play social groups for parents and their children.

Social activities and groups for adults

Social activities and groups for adults – are you looking to join a new activity, make friends and explore your area? The council runs a variety of social activities and groups for adults across the city. There’s something for everyone – including walking, reading, knitting, gardening cookery, and culture and faith groups. As well as taking part, there are also opportunities to volunteer and help run the sessions.

Your local community centre might surprise you. Find a range of activities from fitness to fine art at Community centres in Portsmouth.

Gardening clubs – Grow your own food and make friends with like-minded people in the fresh air:

Milton Piece Community Allotment – off Locksway Road, Milton (opposite entrance to The Orchards)

Adult learning disabilities gardening group – Mondays 10am to 12pm
Community gardening club – Mondays 12:30pm to 2:30pm. Wednesdays 9:30am to 2:30pm

Treadgolds – Bishop Street, Portsea

Community gardening club – Fridays 9.30am to 12pm

Landport Grow Zone (Ethnic Growing Group) – Fyning Street, Landport

Community gardening club drop-in session – Mondays 12.30pm to 2:30pm

For more information about gardening clubs

email iwt@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
phone 023 9284 1762
phone 07984 154 466

See what's on at Portsmouth libraries in December

Look at a selection of low-cost or free events and activities for kids and adults this December at Portsmouth Libraries.

Portsmouth Libraries are great places to hang out in the warm, browse the books and magazines, use the computers and free Wifi, or take part in the many events and activities for adults and children throughout the year, most of them FREE!

Full details of these and other activities for kids and adults can be found on the Libraries website

All year round at the library – there’s always lots going on. Find details of training and courses, reading groups and more at Portsmouth libraries.

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Social activities and groups for adults

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