Christmas Lights Switch-On in Blyth 2026

Blyth does its Christmas lights properly. Rather than a quick countdown on a cold Thursday evening, the town turns the switch-on into a full Saturday in the Market Place, with entertainment from mid-morning and the tree lighting as the finale. In 2026 it is on Saturday 21 November, and it is free.

The date, the time and the place

Blyth Christmas Lights On is organised by Blyth Town Council and runs from 10am to 6pm on Saturday 21 November 2026 in Blyth Market Place, NE24 1BW. There is no ticket and no booking: you simply turn up.

The council promises "fantastic live entertainment", "panto madness" and plenty of Christmas cheer, with the lighting of the town's Christmas tree as the highlight of the evening. That is as far as the 2026 programme goes at the time of writing. The line-up and the exact time of the tree lighting are still to be announced, so check the Blyth Town Council events page and the council's social media in the weeks before.

What it was like last year

For a sense of scale, the 2025 event (held on Saturday 22 November) opened at 10am with stage performances from 11am. Local performers filled the bill, including the Phoenix Panto from the Phoenix Theatre, shanty singers, dance and music schools and a male voice choir, and the tree was lit at 6.30pm. The Market Place also had free funfair rides, a giant snow globe, food stalls and market stalls, and the Arriva Santa Bus was parked up for children to meet Santa. Mrs Claus and her elves ran a morning of stories, crafts and letter-writing at Blyth Library.

None of that is confirmed for 2026, so treat it as a guide to the format rather than a promise. If the format holds, the morning is quieter and the crowd builds towards the lighting.

Best for: Best for families who want a whole day out rather than a ten-minute countdown.

Where to stand

The Market Place is compact, which is part of the charm, but it fills up as the light goes. For the tree lighting, arrive a good half hour before the published time and find a spot with a clear line to the tree, since stalls and the stage can get in the way of the view from some corners. If you have a pushchair or a wheelchair user in your group, get there early enough to pick a spot with space around you rather than squeezing in at the last minute. The council has not published specific accessibility arrangements for 2026, so contact Blyth Town Council directly if you need to plan ahead.

Getting there and parking

Blyth town centre parking runs on a free parking disc system rather than pay-and-display, with time limits that vary by car park, so keep a disc in the car and check the signs. On a busy event day the central car parks fill early; our guide to parking in Blyth lists the alternatives a short walk away. Any road closures for 2026 had not been published at the time of writing.

If you would rather leave the car at home, the Northumberland Line stops at Newsham and Blyth Bebside, both a walk or short bus ride from the centre, and Blyth bus station is a few minutes from the Market Place. Check last trains and buses before you go, as the tree lighting is in the early evening.

Food, drink and somewhere warm

The streets around the Market Place are full of places to thaw out. On Waterloo Road, Doppio's Coffee House and Cafe Sambuca are both a minute away, and Gordon's Cafe & Bistro on Bowes Street does a proper sit-down lunch. Inside the Keel Row, Caffe Ginevra is handy if the weather turns, and Frameworks Art Cafe on Bridge Street is a quieter option. Greggs on Regent Street covers the quick sausage roll.

For the evening, The Wallaw on Union Street is the big, family-friendly pub option, The Waterloo is a traditional local on Waterloo Road, and La Torre is the place to book if you want a meal after the lights come on.

Best for: Book a table for after the tree lighting; the town centre is at its busiest that evening.

Making a day of it

The switch-on doubles as a good Christmas shopping day, with the Keel Row and the independent shops on Bowes Street, Regent Street and Waterloo Road all within a few minutes' walk. If you want to know when the regular market runs, see our Blyth Market guide. The Phoenix Theatre's Christmas pantomime follows in early December, and our what's on this weekend page keeps track of everything else happening in town.

If you miss it

Blyth comes fairly late in the season. Newcastle's city centre switch-on is on Thursday 12 November and Whitley Bay lights its tree at Spanish City on Sunday 15 November, both a week or more earlier. Other Northumberland towns, including Ashington, Morpeth, Cramlington and Bedlington, usually hold their own switch-ons in mid to late November, but their 2026 dates had not been announced at the time of writing, so check with each town council before setting out.

Know something about this year's line-up, or spotted a change to the timings? Get in touch and we will update this guide.