When do Christmas celebrations start in Truro?

Christmas celebrations launch in Truro on Friday, November 24, when Festive Friday, which includes the city’s Christmas Lights Switch-on, returns for the third year.

As well as the Christmas Lights Switch-on, Festive Friday includes other events to celebrate the start of the festive season.

From 3pm Pirate FM’s Johnny Cowling and Lucy Start will be broadcasting out and about in Truro, building up to the much-anticipated switch-on. There will be special entertainment from 4.45pm organised by Hall for Cornwall. At 7pm the lights will be switched-on by Johnny Cowling, Lucy Start, Truro’s Town Crier Lionel Knight, and cast members from Hall for Cornwall’s Christmas Show Peter Pan. Following the big switch-on, there will be a celebratory live music in Boscawen St until around 9pm.

The Big Festive Shop Small Market hosted by Cornwall Shop Small will be on Lemon Quay alongside Truro Farmers Market until 9pm on Festive Friday and again on Saturday, November 25, giving opportunities to shop for seasonal gifts from over 60 local traders.

Alongside the City Centre lights being switched-on at 7pm, many of Truro’s shop windows will once again be decorated with Christmas reindeer lights following November 24. 

Festive Friday is being brought to the city by Truro BID, sponsored by Coodes Solicitors, and is in partnership with Truro City Council, Pirate FM, and the Hall for Cornwall.

To continue the festivities and to coincide with the first Wednesday Late Night Shopping on November 29 there will be an additional, new event, The Father Christmas Parade taking place at 6.30pm.

As well as Father Christmas in his sleigh, local dance groups, musicians and circus performers will be parading around the city centre Peter Pan style to welcome in Wednesday late night shopping. The Father Christmas Parade being brought to the city by Truro BID, sponsored by Coodes Solicitors and is supported by FEAST and Truro City Council.

Four late-night shopping Wednesdays will take place from November 29 giving ample chances to explore Truro’s wide range of independent and high street shops, restaurants, and bars.

Father Christmas Parade (Image: Supplied)

The BIG Christmas Market on Lemon Quay hosted by Truro Farmer’s Market, will also start on Wednesday, November 29, running daily until Christmas Eve. New for this year, the BIG Christmas Market will feature a revolving selection of Cornwall’s finest artisan traders housed in bespoke wooden cabins, all uniquely decorated with a festive feel. Each day stalls will showcase local food, drink, art, and crafts, while street food, music, festive happenings, and family entertainment will add an immersive feel to the month-long market.

On both Wednesdays and Saturdays from November 29, Boscawen St will host some Truro Farmers Market produce stalls, as Truro BID and Truro Farmers Market are arranging traffic-free main shopping streets. On Wednesdays the stalls on Boscawen St will change to seasonal goods from 4pm. Truro BID will be organising street food, along with festive entertainment dotted around to help everyone get into the Christmas Spirit.

From Wednesday, December 6, Finding Father Christmas returns to Truro for its third year for seven dates, this time amongst the fascinating curiosities of the Royal Cornwall Museum in this family storytelling and grotto experience.

Finding Father Christmas at the Museum involves being lead through the museum with other families by Jingle the Elf, hearing a wintery tale or two before meeting Father Christmas for the second half of the magical 30-minute experience. Tickets for Finding Father Christmas, which includes a gift, will be on sale from Monday, October 23 from www.hallforcornwall.co.uk.

Finding Father Christmas at the Museum is a walking theatre and grotto experience brought to the city by Truro BID, in association with Coppice Theatre and with kind permission from the Royal Cornwall Museum.

Alun Jones, Truro BID Manager said: “We are pleased to be working with various partners to help bring Festive Friday to Truro, along with our new event, The Father Christmas Parade which is supported by FEAST. Thank you to Coodes Solicitors who are sponsoring these two events, and to Truro City Council for providing the stage for Festive Friday, plus some resources for Festive Friday and the Father Christmas Parade.

"With lots going on, we are confident that residents and visitors will come in to shop, eat and drink, see Father Christmas, and support the city this festive season. As always, we are thankful to the local businesses who pay the Truro BID levy so we can deliver events and Truro’s Christmas Lights.”

The Mayor of Truro, Cllr Carol Swain added: "The City Council is delighted to be working with Truro BID and other partners to bring festive cheer to the city. I am particularly looking forward to taking part in this year's Festive Friday celebration and the Father Christmas Parade, which the City Council are supporting, as well as the many other activities and events which will be on offer during the festive season. As usual details of all the events, including information on how people can get involved, will be available on the Visit Truro website".

For more details of all festive events in the City see www.visittruro.org.uk, the official Visitor Information Centre for Truro and follow @visittruro on Facebook and Instagram.