Chelsea Christmas Lights Switch-On – Saturday 16 November 2024
Celebrating the most magical time of the year, the neighbourhood lights up with sparkling illuminations and enchanting entertainment
On Saturday 16 November, Chelsea Christmas Lights Switch-On welcomed thousands for an afternoon of enchanting entertainment, culminating in a 360-degree explosion of lights and music as the illuminations were switched on by Santa and his special helper, a local child.
The King’s Road was pedestrianised from Sloane Square to Walpole Street, featuring a Christmas market and pop-ups from many local businesses, face painting and Christmas cookie decorating, mulled wine and festive fizz, as well as entertainment, across two stages and roaming the neighbourhood. A third stage alongside the Sloane Square Winter Pavilion and, for the first time, performances along Sloane Street provided continued excitement throughout the day.
Organised by Cadogan, the day was busier than ever seeing a footfall uplift of over 58%, while the event raised profile and funds for the Kensington + Chelsea Foundation (a charity which supports members of the local community) and their Winter Appeal.
The glittering displays, excitement and festivities continue across Chelsea counting down until the big day.
Sloane Street is sparkling with a spectacular seasonal scheme by renowned lighting designer James Glancy, inspired by the historic mulberry trees of Cadogan Place Gardens. With a nod to William Morris’s design ethos from the Arts & Crafts Movement, elegant, ethereal archways of gold and copper leaves complement the illuminated, tree-lined boulevard with a canopy of twinkling foliage. With just under 34km of lighting, and almost 312,000 individual LEDS, the Street is set to sparkle like never before, creating the perfect backdrop your Christmas shopping. Power consumption will be just under 30kW/h which is like running just 10 electric kettles.
Open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 16 November until 21 December, visitors will be able to enjoy a varied programme of Christmas performances on a sparkling, traditional, and festively scented Winter Pavilion on Sloane Square. A pop-up festive café-bar, in collaboration with The Royal Court Theatre, will serve a selection of seasonal treats and drinks from Wednesdays to Saturdays to take away, or to be enjoyed outdoors on cosy, blanketed seating beneath the canopy of Christmas lights. Set to twinkle more than ever before, a festive walkway, beneath almost 17km of lighting comprising 170,000 individual LEDS, will provides the perfect Instagrammable backdrop for photos with family or friends and ensure Sloane Square brings joy to all this Christmas.
Duke of York Square will be home to enchanting displays inspired by the classic Christmas carol, ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’, with the beautiful designs returning with even more sparkle. A collaboration between floral artist Ruth Davies from All for Love London and illustrator Susannah Garrod, visitors can follow the trail to discover each and every drummer drumming, lord-a-leaping and the partridge in the pear tree, providing endless joy throughout the festive season.
For further information on Christmas in Chelsea, visit kingsroad.co.uk