Date confirmed for switch-on of town Christmas lights

A date has been announced for the highly anticipated switch-on of Lynn’s Christmas lights.

A day of family activities and exciting entertainment will precede the big event, taking place on Sunday, November 26.

The lights themselves will be turned on at 5pm, but not before people get the chance to enjoy some festive fun in the town centre.

Discover King’s Lynn will be hosting a children’s lantern making workshop inside The Place on New Conduit Street between 11am and 3pm.

There will be street entertainment around town and the Vancouver Quarter from 1pm, including music from the East Angles Brass Band.

At 2pm, live music in the Tuesday Market Place will take centre stage. Popular children’s songs will be covered by Big Summer Blowout at the start, with St Martha’s School Choir to perform Christmas Carols before music from headliners Bear Club.

Three characters from this year’s Alive Corn Exchange Pantomime, Dick Whittington, will also be on hand to meet and take photos from 3.30pm at the venue.

Simon Rowe from Radio West Norfolk will be playing Christmas hits and games in between the live music on stage, and after the Christmas lights switch-on there will be some more festive classics from Bear Club.

A lantern parade will meander through town from 4.15pm, and anyone with tambourines, triangles or other percussion instruments is being invited to join the parade.

This will finish in the Tuesday Market Place in time to see the lights switched on by West Norfolk’s mayor, Cllr Margaret Wilkinson, with help from the Alive Panto characters.

Cllr Simon Ring, West Norfolk Council’s cabinet member for tourism, events and marketing, said: “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, with kids lantern making and carol singing along with gathering in town for the big switch on.

“So here it is Merry Christmas to all our residents and businesses. I hope that many will join us rockin’ around the Christmas tree in the Tuesday Market Place on Sunday, November 26.”

Vicky Etheridge, BID manager at Discover King’s Lynn, added: “We’re looking forward to kick starting the festive countdown with noise, sparkles and community spirit.

“Come and make a lantern, join the parade and be part of a Lynn Christmas.”