In Christmas, xmas, Events, festival, christmas in leicester

We’re counting down to the Leicester Christmas Lights Switch On and we have all the details here!

At 6.30pm on Wednesday 20 November, 16,000 Christmas lights will be switched on to illuminate Leicester for the festive season. But that’s just part of an amazing night of fun, with lots of other attractions and activities on offer.

It’s all happening at the Clock Tower!

BBC Radio Leicester presenter Ady Dayman will be hosting proceedings with The Apprentice star and DJ, Virdi Singh Mazaria from 5pm. And at switch-on moment – around 6.30pm - there will also be an appearance from Divina De Campo, runner-up of RuPaul’s Drag Race and Wicked Queen of this year’s panto, Snow White, at De Montfort Hall, plus Jack Ballard as the panto dame!

The Clock Tower’s 15m-high Christmas tree – which this year is sponsored by Highcross Leicester will be illuminated at 6.30pm. 

Festive fun around the city

Town Hall Square – with its array of lights, Christmas trees and the traditional nativity scene – is the perfect place to gather if you’re looking for a quieter spot to see the switch on. Brass bands and choirs will perform until 8pm.

Look out for spectacular stilt-walking angels, Corvus Angelicus; Christmas stilt-walkers Tinsel and Cracker, and Blizzard the puppet penguin around the city centre. You can also enjoy a Dickensian ding-dong from the Jelly Roller, who will be entertaining the crowds with a virtuoso strolling musical performance.

In Humberstone Gate, you can enjoy the funfair, which is open from noon until 9pm. And join the 15-piece nutcracker marching band as it leads a switch-on trail through the city centre, starting at 6.45pm from the Haymarket through to Highcross at 7pm and in St Martins at 7.30pm, before returning to the Haymarket at 8pm.

At the Haymarket, there will be plenty of festive entertainment from 4.30pm. Santa will appear, enjoying the musical entertainment, and two LED stilt-walking angels will light up the occasion. Meanwhile, over at Jubilee Square, a ride on the 35m Wheel of Light will give you an aerial view of the illuminations.

Get that shopping done early!

Shoppers flocking to the city centre to mark the arrival of Christmas in Leicester will also witness the first smattering of ‘snow’ in the city, set to fall in Highcross’s St Peter’s Square just in time for the official switch-on.

Of course Wednesday night is late night shopping night and shops around the city centre will be open for you to get a head start on your festive shopping.

The Leicester Christmas Market along Humberstone Gate will be sure to provide a fantastic festive backdrop to the Christmas events, where you can buy snacks, gifts and treats to really bring the spirit of Christmas. The market runs from 14 November until 29 December.

Choose how you move

If you're driving then there are many city centre car parks in the area which also provide blue badge parking. Take the strain off the journey by using the park and ride, which has been extended from 7pm – 9pm every 15 minutes from all three sites (Birstall, Meynells Gorse and Enderby) for the Christmas Lights switch on. The free HOP service has also been extended to 9pm. The Haymarket and St Margaret’s Bus Stations are both less than a 10-minute walk from the area.

If you fancy getting on your bike and cycling into town, then the FREE Bike Park at Leicester Town Hall is open for extended hours until 8.30pm.

Find out more about all of Leicester’s festive attractions and activities at christmasinleicester.co.uk.

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