When will towns and villages in North Kirklees light up for Christmas? Santa to turn on Cleckheaton’s Christmas lights this weekend

Cleckheaton will be the first town in the district to be lit up for Christmas when Santa Claus himself flicks the important switch at 5pm this Saturday, November.

Heckmondwike, Birkenshaw, Birstall, Roberttown, Mirfield and Dewsbury will then be illuminated over the coming weeks as our towns and villages truly get into the festive spirit.

Organised by Spenborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Cleckheaton’s programme of festive family fun includes a Christmas Market from 9am until 8pm, live entertainment from dance groups and choirs on the main stage from 1.30pm, fairground rides and Santa’s grotto in Savoy Square. He will then make his way to the stage at 5pm to turn on the Christmas lights.

A spokesperson for the chamber said: “We are looking forward to our annual event as always. It is the highlight of our year in terms of bringing people together. It is about getting families and different generations together.

“This year we will have Mickey Mouse and Elf On The Shelf. We will have, as always, a vast array of stalls in what will be an all-gazebo market, so it might have a different look but it will be the same, big fun.”

Birkenshaw will be hosting a Christmas Fayre on Saturday, November 21, from 2pm to 5pm at Birkenshaw Community Hall.

The event will include music, food and stalls for Christmas shopping. There will also be visits from special guests throughout the afternoon, as well as a meet and greet from the main man himself, Father Christmas.

The big switch on will be at 4.30pm.

In Heckmondwike, the town’s Christmas lights will be switched on at 6.30pm on Saturday, November 21.

There will also be a Christmas Market, live performances and fairground rides throughout the day.

Birstall’s annual Christmas lights switch on event will take place on Tuesday, November 24, from 3pm to 7pm, and will include market stalls, fun fair rides, donkeys, and food and drinks.

There will be a chance for families to meet with Santa in his grotto from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, while singers Lindset, Paul and Leanne take to the stage. There will also be a performance from Chris and Lucy Beaumont School of Dance at 5.30pm.

The lights will be switched on at 6.30pm.

The town of Mirfield will be lit up on Sunday, November 29, during what will be a full day of festive fun.

Activities will run from 10am to 6pm at Mirfield Library and the car park, with the switch being flicked at 4.30pm.

There will be a Festive Makers’ Market selling handmade gifts and local crafts, live music and carols, food and refreshment stalls, and even a Christmas treasure hunt for children. Santa Claus will also be paying a special visit.

Santa will then be making his way to Roberttown on Friday, November 27, to turn on the picturesque village’s Christmas lights at 6pm.

The special evening will involve dance displays, live music, fairground rides, food and drink, a Christmas Tree festival, as well as a chance to meet Santa in his grotto in the church.

Roads in the village will be closed from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

On Saturday, December 5, a community lantern parade will take place in Dewsbury town centre from 5pm to 5.30pm, providing a spectacle of light in the darkness.

Run by Edgelands Arts, and with thanks to funding from the One Community, Our Cultural Heart Fund, there will also be free workshops leading up to the event where experienced artists from Edgelands Arts will be on hand to assist in making lanterns. All materials will be provided. For more information on the workshops, visit: https://www.creativekirklees.com/en-UK/page/6ace43ee4ea3e80007ff2ab6