King’s Lynn Christmas lights to be turned on – Here’s what you need to know

There will be family activities in town during the day, entertainment on stage in the Tuesday Market Place in the afternoon and the lights will be turned on at 5pm.

Discover King’s Lynn and the Vancouver Quarter start the festive fun with children’s lantern making inside The Place in New Conduit Street between midday and 4pm. Between 12-1pm the lantern making session will be a quiet one for children who are sensitive to noise or a lot of people. The quiet sessions must be booked in advance. Visit discoverkingslynn.com/events/christmas-light-switch-on/ for more details and to book. Sessions from 1pm onwards do not need to be prebooked, families can just drop in.

There will be street entertainment around town from 2pm, including the East Angles Brass Band and Glitter Belles.

At 2pm there’s live music on the borough council stage in the Tuesday Market Place. Popular upbeat songs will be performed by Soul Sisters, St Martha’s School Choir will perform Christmas Carols, followed by music from headliners Vex.

Meet Cinderella, ahead of this year's pantomime at the Corn Exchange. Cinderella will be available for photos from 3:30pm at the venue.

Simon Rowe from Radio West Norfolk will be playing Christmas hits in between the live music on stage in the Tuesday Market Place and after the Christmas lights switch-on there will be more festive classics from Vex.

A lantern parade will meander through town from 4:20pm, anyone with tambourines, triangles or other percussion instruments are invited to join the parade, that finishes in the Tuesday Market Place in time to see the lights switched on by the Mayor of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, Cllr Paul Bland, with help from Cinderella.

Cllr Bal Anota, Cabinet member for Events and Open Spaces, said: “We’re adding some festive magic to King’s Lynn town centre on the last Sunday in November, with nearly a month to go until the big day we’re going to spread some Christmas cheer. Cinderella from the Corn Exchange Panto has invited the Mayor to travel in her carriage to turn the town lights on. Discover King’s Lynn and the Vancouver Quarter have arranged kids lantern making and a parade through town. Meanwhile we’re putting on a show on our stage in the Tuesday Market Place. Merry Christmas to all our residents and businesses. I hope to see many join us rockin’ around our festive tree in the Tuesday Market Place on Sunday 24 November.”

Vicky Etheridge, BID Manager at Discover King's Lynn, said: “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 the start of Christmas in King’s Lynn.

“In the weeks after the lights have been turned on we’ve got more festive fun in town, all the way up to Christmas, with a variety of street entertainers every Saturday. Also, the annual Festive Market on the Tuesday Market Place returns on the 7th and 8th December. There will be family crafts and activities in The Place from 10 until 3pm on both of these days too.

“Our town wide Christmas window competition also returns until 16th December. The public can vote for their favourite by scanning the QR codes on the shop fronts, every voter will be entered into a prize draw each week to win a £50 voucher to spend in town. I’d say that’s Christmas pretty well wrapped up in King’s Lynn.”

St George's Guildhall is also planning a free Victorian festive family event to take place on 8 December which will include the chance to meet Father and Mother Christmas, take part in the pudding trail, try some crafts, watch a short performance and see miniature donkeys in the courtyard. More details will be released about this event shortly.