Christmas fair ditches live reindeer after 'woke' animal row

Published: 01:52 GMT, 29 October 2026 | Updated: 02:01 GMT, 29 October 2026

A Christmas fair has been forced to ditch its live reindeer in a 'woke' row over animal welfare.

Organisers of Richmond Christmas Fair in North Yorkshire had initially advertised that actual reindeer could feature at this year's event on Sunday, November 29.

However, the suggestion caused an uproar from eco zealots on social media and led to the booking of the animals being cancelled.

The decision has now angered parents who had promised their children the chance to see a real-life reindeer for the first time.

The event, part-funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, is run annually by Richmond Business and Tourism Association. 

They said in a statement: 'As many people know, the Richmond Christmas Fair is organised entirely by volunteers.

'It takes hundreds of hours of planning throughout the year, and a great deal of time and effort in the weeks leading up to the event.

'While we respect that people have different views, the strength of feeling surrounding this issue has created additional pressure for those giving their time freely to make the fair happen.

Organisers of Richmond Christmas Fair in North Yorkshire had initially advertised that actual reindeer could feature at this year's event

'The decision was made to protect the hard-working volunteers from undue harassment and stress in the lead-up to the event and also to protect the enjoyment of the day for everyone from protests that were building.' 

The committee concluded that withdrawing the attraction was the most sensible way forward.

'In the end, we felt the kindest and most sensible course of action was to step back from this particular attraction and focus our energy on delivering a positive and enjoyable event for everyone,' they added.

Organisers acknowledged that some families would be disappointed but insisted there would still be plenty of festive entertainment and activities for all ages.

They said the fair remained focused on bringing the community together, supporting local organisations and providing a welcoming start to the Christmas season.

'We would like to reassure everyone that this decision does not reflect any concerns about the company we had booked,' they added.

'Throughout the process, we found them to be professional, knowledgeable and clearly dedicated to the welfare of their animals.'

The committee said the reindeer would have been cared for solely by experienced handlers and that their welfare had always been an important consideration.

But the move led to a furore on social media where it was criticised as a 'poor decision giving in to the woke bullies'.

One poster said: 'It's sad when a few paranoid people ruin things for everyone.'

One parent said: 'That's a shame as my son was looking forward to seeing them.'

Another added: 'Such a shame! Would have been a really nice festive addition to the day.'

The North East Animal Rights group said: 'We welcome the decision to remove the reindeer and wish the organisers a successful animal-free event.'