Exeter Cathedral's Christmas 2026: the free Lord Mayor's carol service on 7 December, free Grandisson carols 23 and 24 December, Midnight Mass and concerts.
Exeter Cathedral has published most of its Christmas 2026 programme already. The two things most people want are free: the Lord Mayor and Dean’s Carol Service on Monday 7 December at 2pm, which needs no booking, and the Grandisson Service of Lessons and Carols on 23 and 24 December at 6pm, which needs a free ticket released in early December.
The quick answer
- Free, no booking: Lord Mayor and Dean’s Carol Service, Monday 7 December, 2pm; Advent Procession, Sunday 29 November, 6pm; Midnight Mass, 11.30pm on Christmas Eve.
- Free, ticket needed: Grandisson Lessons and Carols, 23 and 24 December, 6pm. Tickets “will be available during early December”.
- Live in EX1 to EX4? Day visits are free with the cathedral’s Welcome Card. Otherwise £12.50 for adults.
Checked against Exeter Cathedral’s own event pages on 25 September 2026.
Services
| Date | Service | Time | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 29 Nov | The Advent Procession, Exeter Cathedral Choir | 6pm | Free, no booking |
| Mon 7 Dec | The Lord Mayor and Dean's Carol Service | 2pm to 3.15pm | Free, no booking |
| Wed 23 and Thu 24 Dec | Grandisson Service of Lessons and Carols | 6pm | Free tickets, released early December |
| Thu 24 Dec | Midnight Mass, carols led by St Peter's Singers | 11.30pm | No booking |
| Fri 25 Dec | Holy Communion; Choral Eucharist; Choral Matins; Choral Evensong | 8am; 10am; 11.45am; 4pm | No booking |
| Sat 26 Dec | Morning Prayer; Said Eucharist; Evening Prayer | 11am; 11.20am; 3pm | No booking |
Sources: Exeter Cathedral’s pages for the Advent Procession, Lord Mayor and Dean’s Carol Service, Grandisson Service, Midnight Mass, Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day.
The cathedral calls the Grandisson service unique: it opens with Bishop John de Grandisson’s service. With two nights and free tickets, it is the one to put in the diary for early December, when the tickets appear.
Concerts and ticketed events
| Date | Event | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 24 Nov | Gabrieli Roar: Mr Handel’s Christmas Story | 7pm | Booking open |
| Fri 4 Dec | Christmas by Candlelight, West End singers and band | 1.30pm and 7.30pm | Booking open |
| Fri 11 Dec | La La Choir Christmas concert, its 11th year at the cathedral | 7.30pm | Booking open |
| Sun 13 Dec | The Exeter Nativity | 3pm | Coming soon |
| Tue 15 and Wed 16 Dec | Exeter Philharmonic Choir: Carols in the Cathedral | 7.30pm | £24, £18, £14 |
| Fri 18 Dec | Karl Loxley: The Songs of Christmas | 7.30pm | Booking open |
Carols in the Cathedral is the big sing-along: Exeter Philharmonic Choir, founded in 1846 and about 100 strong, with trumpeters, the cathedral organ and the audience joining in. Book on 0333 666 3366 or online (Exeter Cathedral).
Mr Handel’s Christmas Story brings Gabrieli’s baroque orchestra and singers together with school and youth choirs from across Devon, retelling the Christmas story through Handel and ending with the Hallelujah chorus (Exeter Cathedral).
Details for the others: Christmas by Candlelight, La La Choir, The Exeter Nativity, Karl Loxley.
Visiting in winter
Outside services, the cathedral is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 11.30am to 4pm on Sunday. Entry is £12.50 adults, £10.50 seniors and students, and free for under-18s in a family group. Gift Aid the ticket and it becomes a 12-month pass. There is never a charge to worship or pray (Exeter Cathedral, plan your visit).
The local perk: if you live in EX1, EX2, EX3 or EX4, or study at Exeter College or the University of Exeter, the Welcome Card gets you in free. Apply online and collect it from the Welcome Desk with proof of address or a student card.
The Cathedral Christmas Market page has the market’s dates and hours.
Still to be confirmed
- Grandisson Service tickets, released in early December
- The Exeter Nativity tickets, “coming soon”
- Christmas opening hours for visitors, not yet published. The cathedral lists early closures to sightseers on its visit page, as it already has for 3 October
More Christmas in Exeter: Santa’s grottos, the pantomimes and Christmas trains and buses. For the drive in, parking in Exeter and Exeter roadworks.
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