Free Family Fun Day and Fireworks on Saturday 16 November
Eastleigh lights up from mid-November with the grand switch-on of the town centre’s Christmas lights.
The festive countdown begins in grand style on Saturday 16 November, with a free family fun day leading up to the popular Light Parade and spectacular fireworks display in the Leigh Road Recreation Ground.
The Eastleigh Christmas Lights Switch-On & Fun Day, which gets under way at 11am,brings entertainment, Santa’s Grotto, live music, food and drink, and even a mini-farm for the children, to the main shopping centre.
Santa will be taking time out from his busy pre-Christmas schedule to help Eastleigh’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Cynthia Garton, switch on the festive snowflakes and stars illuminations.
The Light Parade, featuring local brass, samba, pipe and marching bands, together with schools, theatre and community groups begins at 5:15pm - with the switch-on of the lights, which are inspired by snowflakes and stars, at 6pm from the bandstand in the Leigh Road Recreation Ground.
The Sorting Office, Eastleigh’s artist and designer-maker studios off the High Street will be showcasing unique gifts and decorations –and with a variety of market stalls the town centre’s great range of retailers, visitors can get some Christmas shopping done as part of their visit. Eastleigh’s excellent choice of bars and restaurants offer a great way to round off the day.
The event and lights are co-organised and funded by the Eastleigh Local Area Committee and the Eastleigh Business Improvement District (BID).
Councillor Paul Bicknell, Chair of the Eastleigh Local Area Committee, is looking forward to the town’s big Christmas event. He said: “The teams from the Council and the BID work hard to support town centre businesses by delivering a successful Christmas Lights Switch-On & Fun Day. The event is now firmly established in our annual calendar as a great way to start the countdown to the big day – and it is hugely popular with families from across the Borough and further afield. It also highlights what a great place Eastleigh is for festive shopping, with a range of big name and niche retailers, together with plenty of options to eat and drink.“