Leicester’s Town Hall Square will be transformed into a hub of light and music tomorrow (Wednesday, 19 November), as the city launches its annual Christmas lights switch-on with an evening of live entertainment and attractions.
A new 20-foot illuminated Christmas tree will take centre stage in the square this year, complemented by six additional ten-foot trees positioned near the Town Hall. The traditional Nativity scene will also return, alongside easy access to the Christmas Market, funfair and big wheel.
Picture credit: Pukaar News
Assistant City Mayor for Culture, Cllr Vi Dempster, said the refreshed decorations would help create “a great place to enjoy the atmosphere that switch-on night creates,” adding that families could expect an especially festive welcome in Town Hall Square.
Entertainment will run from 5pm to 8pm, beginning with a performance by the Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College band. They will be followed at 5.30pm by the Sound Café Choir, a group that supports people experiencing homelessness through music and cultural activities. Leicester Cathedral Choir will then perform Christmas carols from 6pm, leading up to the main lights switch-on at 6.30pm.
The city’s official countdown will take place at the Clock Tower, where Leicester City players, club mascot Filbert Fox and cast members from the Dick Whittington pantomime will help illuminate the city’s primary Christmas lights display.
Music will continue in Town Hall Square after the switch-on, with performances from the Semper Singers, the Ratby Crescendo Band at 7pm, and the Fosse Singers at 7.30pm.
Visitors can also enjoy last year’s popular multi-coloured lighting installation and a range of roaming street entertainers, including the Living Snowglobe with its Snow Queen and Pip the Polar Bear.
For those seeking a calmer environment during the festivities, the Haymarket Shopping Centre will provide a quiet space hub staffed to offer support, ear defenders, and fidget toys. Accessible toilets and parking bays are also available.
Further information about the switch-on and the city’s festive programme can be found on the Visit Leicester website.
