Friday 7th December
This is one of the town’s favourite dates in the calendar, seeing the town ablaze with colour and cheer. Most shops and offices stay open late, inviting visitors and locals to share with them in an evening of festivities and traditional Dickensian dress. It is a joy to see so many people and businesses working together to produce such a spectacular evening.
This year you can expect the traditional light switch-on as usual at 5:45pm followed by entertainment throughout the town, with Christmas carols from local school choirs, Morris dancers, stilt walkers, traditional Christmas rides, magic, REAL reindeer alongside other festive creatures in an animal enclosure in West Street. And of course, Father Christmas will be on hand to spread the festive joy. To complement the town’s shops and eateries, we can also expect a host of other wonderful stalls, selling mince pies, cider, Christmas puddings, delicious waffles, BBQ food and beer. This year we will also be welcoming our outstanding sensory and community gardeners. In addition, you can visit the Christmas Tree Festival in St Eustachius’ Church and the Winter Market in Butcher’s Hall; while Tavistock Heritage Trust will also be opening the Guildhall, so drop in for mulled wine, mince pies and craft stalls, as well as a chance to look around the historic magistrate's court, one of Tavistock's hidden heritage gems! Do come back into town the following day to enjoy Untamed Theatre’s street performance of Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol’. Then don’t forget to pick up those Christmas gifts you had your eye on the previous evening!