Letchworth Christmas lights switch-on brings festive fun to ‘Santa’s favourite garden city’

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

On a full day of festivities, local entertainers performed lived music and street dance, while hundreds of families turned out to enjoy fairground rides, fireworks, and Letchworth's famous Christmas parade through Leys Avenue - this year led by two giant light-up reindeers.

Town centre manager Chris Wilson said: "The real feeling this year was just how family-orientated it was. All the performers were local, and there was a real community feel here in Santa's favourite garden city.

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

"For the first time this year, all the acts who performed on stage were local performers - including two youth dance groups who were absolutely amazing."

The Christmas lights were turned on by Toad and Ratty from Broadway Theatre's Wind in the Willows production - Letchworth's first resident theatre production - with a helping hand from Santa himself, who braved the A1(M) traffic to make his annual appearance.

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)

Hundreds of families embrace the festivities at Letchworth's Christmas lights switch-on. Picture: Jim Steele (Image: Archant)