Brilliant Brighton, an organisation of 517 businesses within the city’s Business Improvement District who collectively contribute the £75,000 required each year, to light up the city centre during the festive period are pleased to announce that their Christmas lights (supported by HSBC UK, and in partnership with BBC Radio Sussex) will be switched-on, on Thursday 18th November 2021.
The free switch-on event will be hosted by BBC Radio Sussex’s Allison Ferns, and feature toe-tapping Christmas tunes from vintage-inspired swing group Hit the Silk, the angelic voices of The Theatre Workshop’s choir, and up-and-coming bands from Greater Brighton Metropolitan College, to start 2021’s festivities off in style!
Then, Go!Go!Go! band member, and Mr Move It himself, Carl Tracey will join fellow Aladdin pantomime cast member, Allison Ferns to do the all-important countdown and switch the lights on, and welcome in Christmas to the city centre.
To further add to the festivities, there will also be a raffle with fantastic prizes from Brilliant Brighton businesses, with all donations going directly to Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice.
This year, not only sees the return of a Christmas light switch-on event in East Street (the first since the Covid-19 pandemic began), but also a brand new Christmas lights scheme, featuring artwork designed by Brighton street artists, including Bintley, Mowgli and Sinna One.
The street art-inspired lights will light up North Street and Western Road, while lights celebrating the uniqueness of North Laine will sparkle in Bond Street, Gardner Street and Kensington Gardens; and more traditional lighting will add a magical, festive feeling to The Lanes, East Street, Preston Street and Brighton’s iconic Clock Tower.
Gavin Stewart, CEO of Brilliant Brighton said: “We’re so excited to be hosting a switch-on event again. We hope that it will help get the community into the festive spirit, and celebrate our brand new lighting scheme – a gift to the city centre from our 517 retail, leisure and hospitality businesses!”
Brilliant Brighton’s city centre Christmas lights are supported by HSBC UK.
Paul Amos, Local Director for Brighton Local Market at HSBC UK says: “The Christmas lights switch-on is a much loved event in Brighton and I’m delighted HSBC UK is able to support this year’s switch-on. It’s a great opportunity to bring the city together to celebrate the festive season and also bring more visitors into the centre, which will be a positive thing for the local retailers.”
This year’s switch-on event is in partnership with BBC Radio Sussex, with Breakfast show host Allison Ferns, presenting the event. Mark Carter, the Acting Executive Editor at BBC Radio Sussex, said: ‘We’re so pleased to be able to support this exciting celebration of Christmas in Brighton. We know only too well the impact the pandemic had on so many people last year, so an event like this is a long-awaited moment to finally add some festive cheer.’
Brilliant Brighton’s Christmas lights switch-on event takes place on Thursday 18th November, between 4:30pm – 6pm on East Street.
See the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/4432646973457714.
Brighton’s Christmas lights are supported by HSBC UK.
