What does your town do when the Christmas lights go on?

[FreezerBird]

Hello,

I am here to shamelessly ask you for ideas!

I'm involved in organising the Christmas lights switch-on event in my town.

We have:
Craft workshops the two weekends before for people to make paper lanterns
Shop window treasure hunt
On the day:
Christmas market
Entertainment in the afternoon
Santa's grotto
Lantern parade to the tree for the switch-on (lights are switched on by local children, not a celebrity!)
Announcement of treasure hunt winners.

All of this is free including visits to the grotto.

The event has evolved over the years but seems to have settled down into this pattern over the last three years or so. It's very popular and loved by local people.

However I worry sometimes we're in a bit of a rut - and some things are less unusual than they were, for example when we started I think we were the only local lantern parade - this year there's one in several other local-ish towns, and a Diwali one here this week. (Which is lovely, and very much an observation not a complaint!)

So - what if anything happens in your town when the lights go on? What would you like there to be? What do you dislike?

The town is fairly small, about 15000 people growing to 25000 in university term time. We usually get about 2000 people to the event across the day. Our budget is small and we do a lot of calling in favours to make it happen!

We sing carols,always a huge turnout.

Oh yes, there's carol singing at the tree when the parade gets there - I'd forgotten that bit!

We have everything you mentioned. The afternoon/evening entertainment takes the form of a stage where local school children perform carols and Christmas songs. Then the mayor or whoever switches the lights on on the stage. The independent book shop has a Santa's grotto for children with sensory needs and there's a choir singing as well somewhere on the High st. Sounds like you have quite a lot going on. Good luck!

We have a winter carnival then lights switch on late Nov
On a separate night we have a lantern parade, late night shopping, and rescue of Father Christmas by the fire brigade mid Dec.
On last Monday before Christmas we have open air carols with a silver band.

I'm not convinced you need to keep innovating. Many people like the traditions and like to know what to expect.

rescue of Father Christmas by the fire brigade mid Dec

This. Sounds. Awesome!

I'm not really planning to suggest any big changes, but I think it's good to keep an eye on what happens elsewhere.

FC is hopeless at landing and keeps getting stuck on one of 3 buildings that surround the market place.

That's so good. I reckon we'd get letters to the local paper about using the emergency services frivolously when they might be needed elsewhere...

Although (coastal town) I now have visions of a rescue at sea. I could get the lifeboat on side with that, no worries!

In the closest town to me they are showing a christmas film outside on a high screen where people can bring their own chairs. Its Arthur Christmas this year

In the half term we have paper lantern workshops.
Then on the day the village is full of little stalls, selling crafts and cakes. Theres reindeer to stroke. On the school playground there is a little fair (there used to be ice skating until a number of people broke an arm one year) and food stalls.

About 4pm everyone gathers with lanterns, and we set off round the village behind Santa, he stops occasionally to turn on that section of lights with a bit of xmas magic.

Then it's to the park for fireworks.