Stevenage, Letchworth and Hitchin are being lit up next week to mark the start of the festive season with their annual Christmas lights switch-on events.

Kicking things off this year will be Stevenage town centre, with the light switch-on scheduled for Thursday.

From 4pm until 7pm hundreds are expected to gather for the big switch-on, which includes Christmas markets, food stalls, a selfie snowglobe, face painting and fairground ride.

Turning on the lights this year is Stevenage’s own Guiness World Record holder James Acraman. James holds the world record for sport stacking a 171 cup pyramid in 59.1 seconds.

There will also be a performance from Tai Bantick, also from the town, who starred in the latest series of ITV’s The Voice,

NSPCC volunteers will also be at the event collecting donations as part of the charity’s Christmas campaign, Light For Every Childhood.

Hitchin’s lights switch-on will take place on Friday, from 4pm to 8pm. The event will include live music, a Christmas parade, street food, with a festive map so visitors can easily access all attractions.

The Hitchin BID are also running and competition open to children aged between four and 16. To have the chance to turn up to the switch on in Dennis the fire engine and be the one to light up Hitchin for the festive period, go to ladder87company.com/christmastreelightscompetition. Entries close today.

In Letchworth town centre, festivities will begin at 12 noon on Saturday.

The Letchworth BID have once again organised a bumper pack of fun throughout the entire day, including live music, Christmas markets, a street food court, Santa’s grotto, a children’s theatre, funfair.

The event will close with a Santa parade through the town starting at 4.45pm, followed by the lights switch on at 5.30pm and a fireworks display.

The Stevenage Old Town Business and Community Partnership has also organised its annual light switch-on for next Saturday, from 3pm onwards.

At 3pm Messy Church will be making lanterns for the parade which will start at 4.30pm to the Bowling Green.

Following this, the Let’s Sing children’s choir with lead carol singing. At 5.30pm, poster competition winners Sam Gray and Anita Horsea will receive their awards and together switch the lights on.