Name: Leicester Christmas Lights Switch On
Start: 2025-11-19T17:00:00+00:00
End: 2025-11-19T20:00:00+00:00
Location: Leicester Clock Tower

Leicester's Christmascelebrations start officially on Wednesday 19 November when the annual switch-on celebrations will light up the city centre.
This year’s event runs from 5pm until 8pm and features a packed Christmas cracker of a programme with musical performances in Town Hall Square all evening long, street entertainment from entertainers including The Living Snowglobe and Polar Pip the Polar Bear, the Billy Bates fun fair and no less than four separate light switch-ons.
The fun starts at 6.30pm with the main lights switch, Gathered round the Clock Tower, the stars of the De Montfort Hall panto flick the switch, joined by Father Christmas and LCFC’s Filbert Fox with BBC Radio Leicester’s Ady Dayman leading the ceremonies from the Haymarket balcony.
Then it’s to the Haymarket Shopping Centre, with Father Christmas doing the honours at 6.45pm; followed by a slam dunk at the Highcross as the Leicester Riders turn the lights on in St Peter’s Square at 7pm.