The Market Square switch-on runs 12pm to 6pm on Saturday 21 November, with the countdown at 5pm. Free entry. The ice rink and the Grosvenor grotto have not been confirmed for this year.

Northampton’s Christmas lights come on at 5pm on Saturday 21 November 2026, at the end of a free day on the Market Square that runs from 12pm to 6pm. Those two facts are confirmed by Northampton Town Council on its Christmas in Northampton page.

Almost nothing else about the day is. The page was last updated on 23 July and ends with “keep your eyes peeled as more will be revealed”, so the line-up, the stage times and the guests are still to come. Here is what is settled, what usually happens, and what has gone quiet.

Confirmed for 2026

  • Saturday 21 November, Market Square, 12pm to 6pm. Countdown at 5pm.
  • Free entry, no ticket.
  • Live stage entertainment, community and trade stalls, festive workshops and activities.
  • Panto stars, the Mayor of Northampton, VIPs and Santa on stage for the switch-on.
  • The lights themselves cover five large spruce trees around the town centre plus decorative lights in the main streets. Cllr Keith Holland-Delamere, who chairs the council’s Community Services Committee, says the council is “upgrading and expanding the lights each year”.
  • Delivered by Northampton Town Council with West Northamptonshire Council and the Northampton Town BID.

What last year looked like

The 2025 event ran on Saturday 22 November, in the same 12pm to 6pm window, with the switch itself at 4.55pm rather than this year’s 5pm countdown. The council’s release lists what filled the afternoon, and it is a fair guide to the shape of this year’s:

  • A stage hosted by local broadcaster John Griff, with panto casts from both the Royal & Derngate and The Deco appearing at 4.15pm
  • Kids’ arts and crafts from The Wild Tribe and Lemonpop Workshops
  • Storytelling aboard a Northampton Transport Heritage festive red bus
  • A Christmas silent disco, gift stalls and community and charity stalls
  • The VandB festive bar, walkabout performers, and Santa’s sleigh collecting for the Rotary Club of Northampton Becket
  • A closing set from The Funk Odyssey Party Band

Treat all of that as precedent, not programme. None of it has been announced for 2026.

The two things that have not been confirmed

The Market Square ice rink. A covered 14m by 22m real ice rink ran on the square from 4 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. West Northamptonshire Council delivered it with the town council, the BID and Discover Northamptonshire, and bookings went through The Old Savoy. Prices last winter were £16 for an adult, £12 for a child, free for under 5s and £7.50 for SEND sessions with carers going free.

Nothing has been announced for this winter. The town council’s own ice skating page still carries the 2025 dates and was last updated on 4 December 2025. The Old Savoy’s ice skating page still advertises the 2025 to 2026 season. West Northamptonshire Council’s festive events page has been taken down and now returns a 404. An announcement, if it comes, would normally land in October.

The Grosvenor Centre grotto. The BID ran a grotto that opened alongside the switch-on on 22 November 2025 at £2 per family, 10.30am to 4pm, then every Saturday and Sunday in December before Christmas Day plus Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December, with proceeds split between the Northamptonshire Toy Library and Rockin’ Roadrunner. No 2026 version has been published.

Getting there and parking

The Market Square is in the middle of town, so the multi-storeys are the practical option. Our parking guide covers the tariffs and the evening rules, which differ car park by car park and are not always stated consistently by the council itself.

No road closures have been advertised for 21 November. Our roadworks and travel page carries the live register if any are added closer to the day.

Sources