The Big Switch-On of Christmas lights draws crowds to Cambridge city centre and Grand Arcade
Cambridge’s Big Switch-On event took place yesterday (Sunday, 17 November), ushering in the start of the Christmas season.
A stage was set up in the market square, with Star Radio hosting. There was a line-up of local performing arts clubs, choirs and dance troupes entertaining the crowds before the lights were switched on at 5pm.
Those performing included Coleridge Community College’s funk band, On Stage Performing Arts, Razzamatazz, Vocal Remix, Collaboration Choir, and the ADC Theatre Panto Stars.
Meanwhile, the Grand Arcade was hosting events and activities of its own.
An Elf Repair Café, delivered in partnership with Cambridge Carbon Footprint, gave broken, or well-loved items a second life inside Mrs Claus’ Grotto on the first floor of the shopping centre, and a Christmas Jumper Swish also took place in the same location, where visitors were able to swap their old jumpers for a new-to-them festive sweater.
The Grand Arcade’s Christmas celebrations also featured singers, dancers and choirs in the lead up to the city centre’s light switch-on.
The shopping centre was transformed last week into a winter wonderland where visitors can be serenaded by Reindeer Rhapsody, meet the jolly Yuletide Yeti, who will be cooking up some winter cheer, and drop off a letter to Father Christmas at the magical Talking Letterbox.
Becky Burrell, director of operations and development at Cambridge BID, said: “The Big Switch-On 2024 was a great success.
“We are always humbled by the size of the crowd the event attracts and delighted we can put on a show that so many enjoy.
“Working with the local community groups, choirs, dance schools etc is an absolute honour, and being able to showcase some of the local talent is really what makes the day as special as it is.
“We would like to thank Bright Horizons Nurseries for their sponsorship and supporting the event, all the acts that performed and of course, the audience that came in their thousands to watch and enjoy. See you in 2025!”
The city centre’s Big Switch-On is sponsored this year by Bright Horizons, which provides early years care and education for children aged three months to five years at almost 300 nurseries in the UK.
It has two new sites on Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Milton Road.
Cambridge BID turned on the Christmas lights in the CB1 area last Thursday evening (14 November), in partnership with Star Radio, whose drivetime presenter Josh Lovatt did the honours and played some Christmas tunes at an event sponsored by Fora, which runs workspace in Station Road.
