Helensburgh Christmas Lights Switch On 18th November 2023

We are pleased to confirm that all being well we will be providing Helensburgh’s Christmas lights display again this year, we think we can manage to raise the funds to do this. Santa will be making his first appearance in Helensburgh to switch on the lights on Saturday 18th November. We will our usual fantastic gathering in the square with rides, Christmas Market, food stalls and entertainment all day on the stage.

The Helensburgh Elves are delighted to give an update on this year’s Christmas lights spectacle in the town and confirm that everything is well ahead of schedule ready for the big Christmas Lights Switch On,  Saturday 18^th November.   All the lights have been installed by the crew of seven elves and this year this was completed in five days, an all time record  to install the 130 Christmas lights throughout the town, thanks to the unstinting help of two new volunteer elves, retired school teacher Gordon Turnbull and local craftsman Tom Peters who joined Kenny McGrath, Davi Stewart, Paul Jack, Viv and Tony Dance to ensure that Helensburgh is looking superb for Santa’s first visit to the town on the 18^th.    This is the fourteenth year that the volunteers have delivered Helensburgh’s lights and this year the installation seemed to run like clockwork helped by the fact that this is the first year that sunny weather beat the rain into submission!!!   The Elves would like to thank Helensburgh businesses for their support once again this year and a special thank you to Bethesda church for their most generous donation and friendship.

The much loved crib has been repaired this year, a new roof and joinery repairs all enhanced by a new viewing window so this year the nativity scene will be at least have dry hay around it and many thanks to Helensburgh Pet Shop for their donation to this work.  The crib forms a very special centrepiece for many people and the elves wanted to make sure it was repaired to allow it to feature in the town display for many more years.

Next week will see the arrival of the Christmas tree, kindly donated by Luss Estates, and this year the elves have invested over £6000 in new lights for the tree and this week  the “old” lights have been added to the lights on the sixteen living trees in the square.   This is a big investment for the town because the Christmas lights project is a gift to the town from the local elves that seems to keep on giving throughout the dark winter months as the trees in the square remain lit for four months until the end of March.   Santa is well pleased with Helensburgh’s preparations this year and Switch on day looks like being a bit special this year, with large Christmas market, fairground rides, local entertainment on the big stage, cuddly characters, street food and of course Santa arriving on a heritage fire engine with his very special elf escort.   Look forward to seeing everyone there.