London's 2026 Christmas Lights Switch-On Dates: The Full Schedule

London's festive lights season begins on Tuesday 3 November when St Martin's Lane is officially lit at 4:45 pm, with Carnaby Street following the next evening (4 November) with its 90s-nostalgia-themed 'Press Play on Christmas' display. Regent Street switches on its 'Spirits of Christmas' installation on 5 November, the same day Battersea Power Station's four art deco chandeliers and 40-foot tree are illuminated — though without an official ceremony.

Knightsbridge follows on 10 November with 12,000 eco-friendly LED bulbs inspired by the area's heritage. Marylebone Village celebrates on 11 November with a 55-foot Ferris wheel and a 6 pm ceremony hosted by BBC broadcaster Jo Good. On 12 November, Covent Garden's 30,000 LED lights illuminate the Piazza and surrounding streets, while Bond Street's 93,000 LEDs switch on at 7 pm accompanied by a live brass band.

Kew Gardens opens its 3 km light trail on 13 November. Fleet Street follows on 18 November, showcasing twelve Dennis the Menace statue installations across the Fleet Street Quarter. Leadenhall Market and St Katharine Docks both switch on on 19 November. Chelsea Winter Village joins the schedule on 25 November with a new light trail through Ranelagh Gardens, and The Shard rounds off the main schedule on 1 December.

Oxford Street's Harry Potter-inspired display — celebrating the new Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone TV show set to premiere on HBO on Christmas Day — still has no confirmed switch-on date. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, whose 100,000-light canopy illuminates the fair's ice rink, also has no announced switch-on date.