LEICESTER is gearing up to celebrate the beginning of the festive season with final preparations underway to ensure the city sparkles this Christmas.
This year's Christmas lights switch on celebration will take place across the city centre on Wednesday 18 November, with more Christmas cheer due to arrive in Jubilee Square from early December.
Switch on night (18 Nov) will run from 5pm until 8pm and feature a packed programme of entertainment, including musical performances in Town Hall Square, street performers, funfair rides, festive market stalls, and three separate light switch-on moments across the city centre.
The evening will be hosted by BBC Radio Leicester's Ady Dayman and DJ OPD, live from the Roxy Ballroom balcony on Humberstone Gate, alongside a special appearance Dame 'Betty Bonbon', who will be performing in the De Montfort Hall pantomime Beauty and The Beast.
Together with Town Hall Square and the Town Hall itself, around 20 streets will sparkle with thousands of lights and decorations to create a festive and welcoming atmosphere for families and Christmas shoppers.
The jewel in the crown will be the illuminated Clock Tower Christmas tree, which will be the focus for the first countdown on switch on night.
Visitors can watch as the city centre lights up for Christmas with switch-ons due to take place at the Clock Tower from 6.30pm, at Haymarket Shopping Centre from 6.45pm, and at Highcross from 7pm.
Rather than hosting a temporary ice rink, Jubilee Square will be transformed into a festive winter garden. The centre piece will be the popular illuminated Wheel of Light, a 33ft-high Ferris wheel, which will return to Jubilee Square for switch on night.
From the first weekend in December, the square will be decked out with festive lights, dozens of snow-covered Christmas trees, illuminated igloos with cosy seating, and more. There will also be live music and seasonal acts on busy weekends.
Switch-on night will see the return of the popular Christmas Market, which will be back on Gallowtree Gate until the end of December, offering a range of seasonal goods and food.
Families are encouraged to enjoy the entertainment in Town Hall Square, which starts at 5pm and will include a variety of festive musical performances from Taiko drumming to traditional brass bands and carol choirs.
There will be a magical range of street entertainment including the massive Helio the Polar Bear, the cosmic 8ft-tall Aurora Stilt walkers, and the Candy Cane Elves zipping about on hover boards.
Fairground rides in Humberstone Gate will add to the festive atmosphere on switch on night.
The SPARK! World Beaters drummers will also return to lead people between the evening’s activities and the three separate switch-ons.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Leicester’s Christmas switch is an important and much-loved date in the city’s festival calendar. And although this year’s festivities will look a bit different without the ice rink in Jubilee Square, we’re excited to try something new.
“Of course, the opening of our fantastic new Market Square next year will provide a perfect location for a new festive attraction and will help ensure that Christmas celebrations in the city centre are even bigger and better.”
Cllr Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for leisure and culture, said: “The Christmas Lights Switch-On is always one of the highlights of the year, bringing families and friends together to enjoy a fantastic, festive evening together.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming people for a special evening of seasonal cheer as we begin the countdown to Christmas in Leicester. It’s the perfect start to the festive season.”
The Christmas magic will continue in Leicester thanks to a huge variety of Christmas shows and events ranging from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Curve, to Beauty and the Beast at De Montfort Hall, and the Leicester Guildhall Christmas Fair.
A festive trail map showing the location of all the key Christmas attractions, along with details of a huge range of other festive events and activities, is available online at www.visitleicester.info/christmas/