Stratford Christmas Lights Switch-On 2026: Date, Time & What’s On

Stratford-upon-Avon’s Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday 14 November 2026, with a day of festive events in the town centre from 10am to 7pm and the big switch-on at 5.30pm. Father Christmas and the Mayor of Stratford, Sam McNaught Barrow, will turn the lights on, according to the Stratford Herald. The event is organised by the Stratford-upon-Avon BID.

Christmas lights switch-on 2026 at a glance

• Date: Saturday 14 November 2026
• Daytime events: 10am to 7pm
• Lights switched on: 5.30pm, by Father Christmas and the Mayor
• Where: the town centre, including Bridge Street, High Street, Wood Street and Henley Street
• What’s on: Christmas market stalls, street food, mulled wine, street theatre and stilt walkers
• Roads: Bridge Street, High Street, Henley Street, Wood Street, Union Street and Meer Street closed to traffic from 4am to 10pm

The BID hasn’t published the full programme or the stage times yet. We’ll add them here as soon as they’re out.

Road closures

The closure notice (published 14 October) closes six streets from 4am to 10pm on Saturday 14 November: Bridge Street (from the Market Cross down to Waterside), Union Street, Henley Street, Meer Street, Wood Street and High Street. No driving or parking on them while the order is in force, so move cars off these streets on the Friday night. The bus stops on Wood Street and Bridge Street are inside the closed area; the operators haven’t said yet where buses will stop instead. All current closures are on our Stratford road closures page.

Getting there and getting home

Town-centre roads close from 4am to 10pm (see Road closures), and the car parks fill early on a busy Saturday. Our Stratford parking guide compares every car park, and the parking calculator works out what you’ll pay. Windsor Street car park is due to be demolished, so check our Windsor Street guide first.

Park & Ride warning: on Saturdays the Bishopton Park & Ride’s last bus back from town normally leaves at about 6pm, only half an hour after the switch-on. If you want to stay on, the train is the easy way back: Stratford Parkway station is at the far end of the Park & Ride car park, and trains run from Stratford-upon-Avon station until late in the evening. Check the next buses on our live bus times.

Next trains from Stratford-upon-Avon station:

Tips for the day

• For the switch-on itself, aim to be in town well before 5.30pm, especially if you’re driving.
• With small children, the daytime is calmer than the crowd at 5.30pm. See our things to do with kids in Stratford for somewhere warm to go before or after.
• Eating: it’s a busy Saturday, so book a table if you can, or use our map of every restaurant, café and pub to find somewhere a few streets away.

After the lights: Christmas in Stratford

• Stratford Christmas Markets: 28–29 November and 5–6 December 2026
• Christmas shows and pantos, including the RSC and the Attic Theatre’s adult panto
• Christmas in Stratford-upon-Avon: every date, event and practical tip in one place

Christmas lights switch-on: quick answers

When are the Stratford-upon-Avon Christmas lights switched on in 2026?

Saturday 14 November 2026, at 5.30pm, with festive events in the town centre from 10am to 7pm.

Who is switching on the Stratford Christmas lights?

Father Christmas and the Mayor of Stratford-upon-Avon, Sam McNaught Barrow, according to the Stratford Herald.

Is the Christmas market on the same day as the lights switch-on?

There are Christmas market stalls during the switch-on day, but the main Stratford Christmas Markets are two weeks later, on 28–29 November and 5–6 December.

Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.