Join the countdown as Crawley lights up for Christmas

Crawley Borough Council will be lighting up Queens Square on Saturday 21 November with its annual Christmas tree lights switch-on event.

From 1pm ‘til 5.30pm, visitors can look forward to an afternoon of entertainment hosted by the mischievous North Pole Elves from Imajica Theatre, with festive performances from Mr Lilley's New Voices children's and youth choir, the talented all-female Songbirds Choir, acclaimed British swing singer Shane Hampsheir and DMT Musical Theatre.

Crawley's poet laureate, Woodzy, will be creating custom poems on his typewriter, available for visitors to take away as perfect gifts for Christmas. He will also be creating a poem on the day which will be shared before the Christmas tree lights are turned on.

Adding extra sparkle to the occasion will be the skating Christmas trees. There’s also a chance for visitors to show off their dancing moves at the silent disco.

To round off the day, Father Christmas and the Mayor of Crawley will lead the countdown to the big switch-on at 5.20pm, lighting up Queens Square for the season ahead.

Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Crawley Borough Council, said: “This year’s Christmas tree lights switch-on event promises to be our biggest and best celebration yet. Thanks to additional investment, we've been able to install a larger Christmas tree in Queens Square and enhance the festive lighting across the town centre, creating an even more magical atmosphere for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Councillor Atif Nawaz, Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development, commented: “Investing in a vibrant and attractive town centre is a key priority for the council. The annual Christmas tree lights switch-on is a great example of this and is a fantastic opportunity for people to come together and enjoy everything the town has to offer.

“We hope the event will attract visitors from across Crawley and beyond, supporting local businesses by helping to generate extra footfall for our shops, cafés and restaurants as the Christmas period gets underway.”

The celebrations don’t stop there this Christmas, with two free festive shows at the Town Hall: a heartwarming performance of A Christmas Carol on 28 November and the hilarious family-friendly pantomime Goldilocks: The Christmas Show on 5 and 6 December. Find out more and keep up-to-date with all the latest events at: www.crawley.gov.uk/events