Thursford – a ‘Wow’ moment for us all!
There surely cannot be a better way to brighten up the short December days than to join the annual Regent Travel four day break to Norfolk which incorporates an evening to witness the Thursford Christmas Spectacular; even the word ‘spectacular’ does not sum up what you see.
Although December days are short in terms of daylight hours, the sun shone on us and the wide, open skies of Norfolk certainly helped shake off any early winter blues. We stopped along the way to enjoy a lunch break in Stamford – a delightful town with beautiful limestone buildings – giving me the opportunity to buy the biggest Christmas hat ever seen to add to my extensive collection of headgear. We then continued our journey east, which involved a Christmas Quiz on board – with life changing star prizes! The tiny hamlet of Overstrand on the Norfolk coast provided our home for the next three nights.
Our daytime visits included stops in Holt – a little town with so many nooks and alleyways that I doubt you could ever get to see them all. We visited Blickling Hall – a magnificent National Trust property, tastefully decorated for the Festive season. And time was spent in the seaside town of Cromer – famous for crab, its pier and ………….. a very much faded Banksy. Amusingly, many of the local inhabitants claimed to know nothing of its existence but some of the 30 plus Regent guests – having been assured by me that it was there, somewhere – went off along the prom, on a mission in search of it, asking folks along the way. Eventually, I spoke with a local who confirmed exactly where it was and said ‘how strange, you’re the fourth person to ask me about our Banksy this afternoon.’ I suggested he should stick around because there are another 30 folks likely to ask him too. Photos were taken and we now know exactly where it is – although a few more high tides could soon put paid to that. A couple of hours spent in Ely on our return proved to be popular; the cathedral is a magnificent sight, dominating the skyline; no wonder it is known as the jewel of the fens.
But what about Thursford I hear you ask? Arriving in the dark for the evening performance gave the opportunity for an optional visit to the Enchantment of Light outdoor lighting display – well worth a look. Sporting the newly acquired Christmas hat – that almost needs scaffolding – meant our guests easily followed me in to the auditorium. The Thursford Spectacular – now in its 48th year – is one of the biggest and most famous Christmas shows in Europe, attracting over 100,000 visitors per year. It has a cast of over 120 singers, dancers and musicians providing a non-stop Spectacular indoor performance featuring Christmas music and themed scenes, with this year’s international speciality acts doing things with skipping ropes and giant sized hoops that seemed and appeared impossible. The choir’s rendition of Nessun Dorma was so moving that it left many of the audience with tears in their eyes. This was my third consecutive visit – not bad for someone who doesn’t get excited about Christmas; it seems to get better each year. Then it was back to the hotel for mulled wine and mince pies and an opportunity to reflect on what we had just seen. The show really is difficult to describe; Regent guests were full of praise. The one word heard so many times however, was ‘Wow!’
This really is a bucket list event – so watch this space because the annual Regent Travel visit to the Thursford Christmas Spectacular 2026 is soon to go on sale. Book early to avoid disappointment – and prepare to be wowed!
Martin Hudson, Tour Manager, Regent Travel
