Jack and the Beanstalk - The Panto, Theatre at the Mill

What to Expect

Theatre at the Mill’s Christmas panto for 2026 is Jack and the Beanstalk, running for a full festive season from Saturday 5 December 2026 through to Saturday 2 January 2027. As the borough’s own council-run performing arts venue, the theatre programmes a family panto every winter as one of the anchor events on its calendar, drawing multiple generations of the same families back year after year for the traditional mix of slapstick comedy, sing-along songs, audience participation and a good-versus-giant storyline that panto fans expect. Running over nearly a month including the school Christmas holidays and into the new year, it gives families across Newtownabbey, Antrim and the wider county plenty of opportunity to catch a performance, whether as a school trip, a family outing, or a New Year treat. Multiple performances run each week throughout the run, with matinee and evening slots typically available. Panto season is one of the busiest periods in Theatre at the Mill’s annual calendar, and Jack and the Beanstalk follows the familiar shape of the story, with a beanstalk, a giant, and a cast of comic sidekicks alongside the title character, delivered with the local, topical humour that panto audiences in Northern Ireland tend to expect from a home-grown production rather than a touring show. The run’s length, stretching from early December right through the Christmas and New Year period, makes it one of the more flexible festive outings on the County Antrim events calendar for families juggling a busy December.

Good to Know

• Dates: Saturday 5 December 2026 to Saturday 2 January 2027, a full festive season run.
• Venue: Theatre at the Mill, inside the Mossley Mill complex, Newtownabbey.
• Performance times and ticket prices are set by the venue’s box office and vary across the run - check the theatre’s own booking system before travelling.
• A traditional family pantomime, suitable for all ages, with audience participation encouraged.
• Book via theatreatthemill.com/whats-on/ or by phone through the box office.
• Given the popularity of the Christmas run, early booking is recommended, particularly for weekend and school holiday performances.

Getting There

Theatre at the Mill sits within the Mossley Mill grounds off the Carnmoney Road in Newtownabbey, with free on-site parking and regular Translink bus services connecting to Belfast city centre and surrounding towns.