The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced the return of the Stratford Festive Trail.

Discover 24 unique and surprising window displays created in partnership with local shops, community groups and independent businesses based in Stratford-upon-Avon town centre. Each shop will feature a festive wreath, each as unique as the shops you visit. You can follow the trail in any order and visit as many locations as you wish.

This year the trail will encourage families, residents and visitors to explore the town looking for festive wreaths - created in partnership with local shopping centre, Bell Court and other Stratford-upon-Avon based shops, community groups and independent businesses.

The trail will launch on Saturday 19 November - the same day as Stratford’s Christmas lights switch on – with the RSC running a market stall offering the public free mini wreath workshops, and the chance to find out more about the trail.

In advance of the launch, the RSC will also run wreath making workshops with the participating organisations to create wreaths unique to each group, whilst responding to the themes of the RSC’s current production of A Christmas Carol. The wreaths on display at the RSC will be created by GAGA Yarn bombers, Stratford College fashion students and Welcome Here. 

Nicky Salmon, Deputy Manager, RSC Creative Placemaking and Public Programmes said, “I’m delighted that the Stratford Festive Trail is back.  It’s proved really popular over the last two years, offering a fun thing to do for anyone visiting the town during the festive season. It also helps to shine an important light on Stratford’s rich mix of businesses and community groups. I hope everyone enjoys locating the wreaths, and finds out a little bit more about what our great town has to offer.”

The RSC has developed the Festive Trail with the support of Stratford-upon-Avon BID. The trail runs Saturday 19 November 2022 – Sunday 1 January 2023. Details about where the wreaths are located, and the organisations and businesses taking part can be found here: rsc.org.uk/festive-trail