Covent Garden is preparing to light up for Christmas, with more than 300,000 lights set to transform the famous London shopping destination.
The switch-on date for the area’s festive illuminations is Thursday, 12 November 2026, making it one of the first major Christmas light displays in the city this year.
The lights will be turned on at around 6pm, although the exact time is yet to be confirmed. Visitors are advised to arrive early to get a good spot to see the moment the lights come on.
The lights will be spread across the Piazza, Seven Dials, and Neal’s Yard, creating a festive atmosphere in the heart of the West End.
Alongside the lights, the Market Building in Covent Garden will be adorned with 40 huge golden bells, eight mirror balls, and 12 large baubles. A 50ft Norwegian Spruce, decorated for the festive season, will also stand on the West Piazza.
The Christmas market in Covent Garden will open on the same day as the lights are switched on. The market will offer a range of handmade crafts, artisan gifts, and mulled wine, and will remain open until 2 January 2027.
Covent Garden’s festive offering doesn’t stop there. A new installation for this year is ‘The Forest of Theatre’, a collection of Christmas trees inspired by West End shows such as Mamma Mia, Six, My Neighbour Totoro, and Moulin Rouge: The Musical.
In addition, every Thursday, there will be surprise performances from choirs and West End casts, adding a touch of theatrical magic to the festive atmosphere.
For those in need of some festive refreshment, there will be a pop-up bar serving winter-inspired drinks, and surrounding restaurants will be offering special festive deals.
Covent Garden station on the Piccadilly line is the nearest Tube stop, and the area is expected to be busy at switch-on time, so arriving early is the best way to get a good view.
It follows a weekend that saw Oxford Street’s Christmas lights break a world record at their switch-on on Sunday, when thousands of people chanted “Lumos” at the same time. Seven Dials, part of the Covent Garden lights area, is also getting daily Christmas snow in its market this festive season.
