Christmas Lights Switch On goes Off Broadway!
This year’s Winchester Christmas Lights Switch On event has changed. Due to the unforeseen closure of Colebrook Street, the annual event taking place on Thursday 19 November 2026 will move from its usual Broadway location outside the Guildhall to a more intimate celebration, with two pop-up performance areas in Middle Brook Street and the High Street.
Winchester’s Christmas Lights Switch On will go ahead next week with a new format that brings the community together in the heart of the city centre.
A heavy goods vehicle (HGV) struck a building in Colebrook Street recently. No one was hurt, but the building was structurally damaged and is now supported by scaffolding meaning the road is now closed. During the Colebrook Street closure the Winchester Safety Advisory Group advised that the usual location of the stage would not allow for emergency access via the Broadway.
The Christmas Lights Switch On is one of the city’s best-loved nights, so Winchester BID has worked with the Safety Advisory Group, Winchester City Council and event partners to find a new way to hold it. The result is a smaller event across two performance areas: one in Middle Brook Street and one in the High Street by the Christmas tree.
This year’s Winchester Christmas Lights Switch On, kindly sponsored by Costa Coffee Winchester, will see pop-up performances in Middle Brook Street and the High Street from 4pm, with the lights being switched on at 6pm. The countdown will be led by Jonny Meah from Heart Radio, with local heroes voted for by the public, Santa and members of the cast from Theatre Royal Winchester‘s traditional family panto Sleeping Beauty.
The Giant Inflatable Snow Globe, kindly sponsored by The Brooks Shopping Centre, will be in Middle Brook Street from 3pm until 7pm. Visitors to the Snow Globe are encouraged to make a voluntary donation to Spare Change for Lasting Change, our charity scheme which supports two local homelessness charities, Trinity Winchester and The Winchester Beacon. Parked up nearby will be Winchester Round Table’s Santa’s Sleigh, so do make sure you pay Father Christmas a visit.
Paul Spencer, Executive Director at Winchester BID, said: “Thanks to brilliant work from our team and event partners, we have organised a new, fun and family-friendly event to mark the start of the festive season in Winchester. We are grateful to everyone who has helped us to update plans at such short notice. We are also very excited that Heart Radio’s Jonny Meah will be joining us again this year, with the Theatre Royal Winchester panto cast, local heroes and a selection of community performers.”
Plan your visit:
- When: Thursday 19 November. Entertainment from 4pm, and the lights go on at 6pm.
- Where: Middle Brook Street and the High Street by the Christmas tree.
- Getting there: For travel advice, please visit: visitwinchester.co.uk/visitor-information-centre/getting-here.
To find out more and to keep up to date with further details, follow @WinchesterBID on Facebook, Instagram and X.
For everything else happening in Winchester this Christmas, please visit christmasinwinchester.co.uk.
