Has anyone been to this today and if so what was is like?

We're taking our 3 year old daughter tomorrow. Apparently there will be real reindeer there and she is OBSESSED with deer of all kind, especially reindeer so we're hoping she will love seeing the real thing:D

:thumbsup:

im so excited about this ... hope the weather's not too bad tomorrow, coz i wanna be able to wander around and savour the Christmassyness

what was is like?
It's a ruddy nuisance is what it is to those of us living in Broomhill!

300 metre long queues of people standing in the rain down Clarkehouse Road and fly parking as though it's a football match.

I went today and thought it was an absolute waste of money. I'd read about it on Sheffield Council's website and was quite looking forward to it, but it stank.

There were very few stalls at the 'craft market' and an incredibly annoying man on the tannoy, clearly suffering from verbal diarrhoea. He just wouldn't shut up! I never found the ice rink (my boyfriend was very disappointed!), and generally felt as though the event had been thrown together in a rather slapdash manner. Fair enough the lights were pretty, but there weren't that many and we've all seen Christmas lights before.

If you're taking kids along I suppose it might be a little more fun, but I believe they're charging extra for the Santa's Grotto (£3 entry to Botanical Gardens themselves) and there was yet another monster queue for that when I walked past.

Ho, ho ho and all that :confused:

Oh yes, I didn't see any reindeer either. Perhaps the real excitement kicks off tomorrow!

We got in at the third attempt. Went down at 3:15pm and they were not letting anyone in and queueing right down the road. Went to the cafe in Broomhill and came back at 4:30pm and there were still long queues. Came back at 7:00pm and got in no problem. It's probably better after it gets dark anyway, the lights having more effect. Not much inside though, a few craft stalls and food stalls but it was a nice atmosphere round the gardens, especially around the bear pit area. My daughter was upset because the reindeer were nowhere to be seen.

Thanks for the replies. Am now having serious second thoughts:D

My little one has forgotton about it, she's only interested in the reindeer anyway and I was hoping to get in for 3 and out again sharpish or she'll fall asleep on the way home and then that means late to bed.

And listening to the rain........hmmm, might just go to farmers market instead.:D

Surely this proves that people are willing to pay an entrance fee. Why, therefore is Weston Park Museum free? Just a quid entrance would not go amiss? (Tho' I suspect the 100,000 visitors so far would have been nearer 20,000).

I was there both days, Thought it was brill.

It was raining for 30 mins only on the Saturday. Dont remember any rain on the Sunday.

The raindeer's was there both days - It was great how you asked one of them to "pose" for the photograph and it lifted its head up high!

I really enjoyed the event and I will be attending again next year!

Hello, I was there all weekend from 1pm til 9.30pm on the Sheffielders CARE stall, raising money for Children's Hospital & our schools. It was very, very cold being outside all that time but its all for a good cause and we met some wonderful, friendly people and had a right laugh too!! I thought the lights were brilliant.

I thought it was okay but agree there's room for improvement.

It didn't cost much to get in and kids got in for free anyway. The rides - what there were - were also free for kids although the result of this meant long queues. The Santa's grotto was a bit of a let down. We waited 70 minutes....,

The gardens looked great lit-up and potentially this could become a great Christmas fixture. I'd have been a little more cheerful if there was a tent serving beer or mulled wine - it was quite cold last night. It reminded me of Matlock Bath when they used to have Christmas deccies up along the river (maybe they still do?).

Parking as ever, was always going to be a problem (although we don't mind a bit of a walk). A few more stalls, a bit more going on, a bar and I think this could be quite a good event in years to come.

EDIT: Along with Fright Night in town, at least the council and other bodies are trying these things and deserve credit for their efforts.

I went today and thought it was an absolute waste of money. I'd read about it on Sheffield Council's website and was quite looking forward to it, but it stank.

It's worth bearing in mind that the event was to raise much-needed money for the Sheffield Children's hospital charity. If people want to volunteer to make it better for next time, then I am sure the charity would love to hear from you. It's a shame it takes so much effort to get people to part with their cash.

We went along on Saturday and although we had to queue for about an hour to get in, we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Thought it was good that the rides were free for the kids (although they were VERY busy), at least they werent trying to rip people off like they do at many of these events. Saw the reindeer but was disappointed there wasnt an ice rink. Would go again if they do it next year.:thumbsup:

Paying to use a public right of way! Shocked!! :confused:

I thought it was okay but agree there's room for improvement.

It didn't cost much to get in and kids got in for free anyway. The rides - what there were - were also free for kids although the result of this meant long queues. The Santa's grotto was a bit of a let down. We waited 70 minutes....,

The gardens looked great lit-up and potentially this could become a great Christmas fixture. I'd have been a little more cheerful if there was a tent serving beer or mulled wine - it was quite cold last night. It reminded me of Matlock Bath when they used to have Christmas deccies up along the river (maybe they still do?).

Parking as ever, was always going to be a problem (although we don't mind a bit of a walk). A few more stalls, a bit more going on, a bar and I think this could be quite a good event in years to come.

EDIT: Along with Fright Night in town, at least the council and other bodies are trying these things and deserve credit for their efforts.

it was a very nice weekend the reindeer have limited working hours and were out from 3pm till 8 pm ahnd then have to rest, so if you came later you may have missed them, the ice rink people just didnt turn up despite being booked on several months ago, the rides for kids were free and got well used and the whole plan was for people to walk around the gardens and to view them in a different light, as normall the botanical gardens are closed at dusk.

the Sheffield Childrens hospital were the benificiaries of the money raised and should have done well out of the event, as well as many many people having a nice time out together as families.

the people who put the event together and worked all last week to install over two miles of mains cable, 20,000 mts of rope light and some thing like 1,000 other lighting effects along with 10,000 mts of feston lights deserve a big pat on the back, I was a small part in the team and have spent another day in the gardens today in the rain again removing the above items.

thanks to those who came and queued to get in we all think it was worthwhile, glad you enjoyed it oustunes