We are hoping to attend the service of Lessons and Carols at Kings College in Cambridge on Christmas Eve 2019. Does anyone know when we should begin lining up for tickets? We understand that only 500 tickets are given out to non members of the church.
You have to queue early on the morning of Christmas Eve, but some people actually arrive the night before. To have any chance, you'd have to be there very early. They start dishing out the tickets about 7-ish I think. I wouldn't like to recommend a time as I don't want you to stand in the cold for ages on my account and still not get a ticket, but you'd have to be there a lot earlier than 7.00. Each year people come from all over the country and still don't get in. Do as we do and listen on the radio from somewhere warm.
I've been a faithful radio fan of this service for many years. If I were going all the way to England with the goal of attending in person, you can be sure I would camp out on the sidewalk overnight, or as early in the pre-dawn hours as permitted.
Complete information for ticketing is here, including limited availability for those unable to queue because of disability or illness. http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/events/chapel-services/nine-lessons.html