CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON 2024 PRESS RELEASE

Weather warning forces cancellation of Christmas Lights Switch-On event

Chelmsford For You regrets to announce the cancellation of its Christmas Lights Switch On event, scheduled for Sunday 24 November 2024, in Chelmsford city centre.

This incredibly difficult decision is in response to Met Office severe weather warnings as Storm Bert reaches the UK this weekend. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to Chelmsford, with a weather warning in place on Sunday.

This is not a decision that has been taken lightly and the team has been working closely with key partners Chelmsford City Council, Essex Police and suppliers to assess the situation and potential alternatives. The safety of our attendees, suppliers, traders and staff is always our top priority, and unfortunately, hosting the event in strong winds would be unsafe. This decision has also been made in line with similar events across the country which have been cancelled.

Sara Tupper, BID Manager of Chelmsford For You, said: “As a team we are so sad to have to make this decision. This is our biggest event of the year, and we put our hearts and souls into bringing Christmas magic to Chelmsford.

However, we have to ensure the safety of all those involved and working closely with partners, we know that we have made the right decision even though it’s been a difficult one to make.

We would like to thank the public for their continued support in our events programme, in particular the annual Christmas Lights Switch On. We know the community will be as disappointed as we are, but we can’t wait to be back in 2025 to make next year’s event our biggest yet.”

Although our event won’t now go ahead on Sunday, Chelmsford’s lights will be switched on over the weekend when it is safe to do so. It won’t be possible for the winners of this year’s Community Awards to switch them as planned, but we’ll be announcing the results on our socials this weekend and we have a very special CFY podcast planned with the winners. Congratulations to all our wonderful nominees, who received thousands of votes from the public over the last few weeks.

Some of this weekend’s activities will still be going ahead too. The outdoor Arts and Crafts Market will now relocate indoors to The Meadows between 10.30am and 4.30pm.

There are also plenty of other Christmas events to look forward to as we head towards December. Chelmsford For You is excited to be launching our Christmas Cabins next month, (Friday 6 Dec – Sunday 22 Dec). We'll be bringing 16 cabins offering a mix of delicious street food, treats and gifts from local businesses and creators, perfect for Christmas. The Cabins will complement the brilliant shops in Chelmsford and bring even more Christmassy vibes to the city centre!

We will be moving a number of the activities and performers planned for the light switch-on event to our weekends at the cabins (Sat 7 & Sun 8 Dec, Sat 14 & Sun 15, Sat 21 & Sun 22). The team is working with suppliers to arrange this right now, so keep an eye on our socials (@ChelmsfordForYou) and www.chelmsfordforyou.co.uk/christmas-in-the-city.