This year’s Totnes Christmas Lights Switch On takes place on Tuesday 26th November between 3pm-6pm in the Market Square and Civic Hall. This FREE, family-friendly, community event is organised by Totnes Town Council. There will be entertainment and children’s crafts to enjoy before the Christmas Tree lights in the Market Square are officially switched on by the Mayor of Totnes – Councillor Emily Price – at 5:30pm.
Cllr Emily Price, Mayor of Totnes, said: “This event truly embodies the joy of our community as we welcome the festive season. It’s heartwarming to see families and children at the Civic Hall, creating holiday crafts, bouncing in the snowglobe, watching the entertainment, and sharing in the excitement. When the tree lights up, it feels like the official start of Christmas for all of us!”
Free activities include having bouncy festive fun in the inflatable snow globe (3pm-5.30pm) and a choice of children’s crafts. There will also be a chance to make your own jam-jar lantern to take home, which you could then also use if you want to take part in the Totnes Carnival Lantern Procession on 17th December. Please BRING YOUR OWN JAM JAR and we’ll provide the rest of the materials to create a colourful lantern, including a battery-operated tea-light to make it glow. There will be singing from pupils from Totnes St John’s and The Grove Primary schools. Stilt walkers, Totnes Brass Band, The Bubble Fairy and Elfic the Jester will all ensure the festive fun is flowing throughout the afternoon. And finally, we are hoping that Father Christmas himself might pop by to say ho-ho-hello to the children.
Refreshments are available courtesy of Pizza Pirates at a subsidised cost. Pizza will be sold for £8 each (£4 for a half). For anyone who needs transport to and from the event, Bob the Bus will be running a free service between Bridgetown Spar, the Market Square, and Follaton Stores. Please see timings below.
Bridgetown Spar: 4:00pm, 5:00pm, 6:00pm and 7:00pm
Market Square: 4:15pm, 4:45pm, 5:15pm, 5:45pm, 6:15pm and 6:45pm
Follaton Stores: 4:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm
Cllr Price added: “This is also a chance for our younger members of the community to make a lantern so they can join in the fun at the Totnes Carnival Lantern Parade on 17th December. We hope to get even more local people of all ages taking part in this wonderful spectacle, which takes place on the last of our three Christmas Market and Late Night Shopping evenings, so bring your clean jam jars and transform them into your very own lantern to keep.”
The event is totally free, but donations may be made to Totnes Caring if wanted. To find out more about the event email reception@totnestowncouncil.gov.uk or look on our website: www.totnestowncouncil.gov.uk/
The festive lights being organised by Totnes Town Council in 2024 are the same as put up by the Town Council in 2023:
• Trees lit up at The Rotherfold, Market Square, Shady Garden and The Plains
• A Christmas Tree in the Market Square and lighting on the Civic Hall
• The Eastgate Arch (one side)
• The illuminated cross-street ‘Welcome to Totnes’ sign at the bottom of Fore Street, which has now been fully refurbished with low energy LEDs
We won’t be putting up cross street festoon lighting due to the logistical and financial issues around making sure all the rigging points are secure enough to meet our insurance requirements. In 2023, and in previous years, the cross-street festoon lighting was put up by Totnes Chamber of Commerce.
Totnes Town Council is also inviting local businesses to take part in the 2024 Business Christmas Window competition and help create an extra special festive atmosphere in the town. Following the success of the competition in 2023, it is being organised again this year as part of the Town Council’s commitment to lighting up the town to bring cheer to the community and to give businesses an extra boost.