Lytham Christmas Lights Switch-On will feature celebrity farmer Tom Pemberton, Total Rewind, The Deadbeats, Flo Maskery, House of Wolves, Daisy Atkinson and Edward Rhodes

The Lytham Christmas Lights Switch-On is a highlight of the Fylde coast calendar. Here’s all you need to know about the festive favourite.

When will Lytham Christmas Lights Switch-On take place?

The switch-on will take place in Clifton Square, Lytham, on Saturday, November 19 from 1.45pm until 6pm with the official lights switch-on between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.

Switch-on star

Lytham farmer Tom Pemberton will perform the official switch-on duties. Tom is fast becoming a household name across the UK as a rising star of agriculture with the ever growing popularity of his YouTube channel which now has almost half a million subscribers.

His on-screen persona led to BBC 3 recruiting Tom as the face of its tractor racing series, The Fast and The Farmer-ish. Most recently Tom received the 'Farming Hero; Flying the Flag for British Agriculture' at the British Farming Awards.

He said: “I am absolutely honoured to have been asked. I’ve lived in Lytham my whole life so I can honestly say it feels quite incredible to have been asked to switch-on the Christmas Lights this year.

“Lytham is a wonderful town and the place I feel proud to call home. The Switch-On afternoon is always a brilliant occasion and an opportunity to join with family and friends to kick-start the festive season so I can’t wait to see everyone there.”

An afternoon of live music and entertainment

Lytham Community Choir will open the entertainment followed by performances from singers and musicians Flo Maskery, House of Wolves, Daisy Atkinson and Edward Rhodes.

Party band Total Rewind fronted by St Annes singer and former The Tailormade’s Jack Frimston will get everyone dancing, and Fylde coast favourites The Deadbeats will headline following the official switch-on by Tom Pemberton.

Lytham DJ and entertainer Paul O’Brien will be spinning the decks, Fylde Mayor Cllr Ben Aitken will be a special guest while BBC Radio Lancashire’s Graham Liver will host the event. Sign language interpreter Tony Redshaw will also be on stage throughout.

What else is going on?

While the entertainment is taking place in Clifton Square, Father Christmas will lead a procession around Lytham setting off from the Assembly Rooms on Dicconson Terrace at 4pm. Wesley’s Community Cafe and Larder is the event’s official charity partner.

‘We can all come together to sing, dance and make merry as we kick off the festive season’

Lytham Christmas Lights Switch-On is organised by Coun Brenda Blackshaw with support from a team of volunteers.

Coun Blackshaw said: “Once again we have a brilliant line-up for our witch-on event and we can’t wait. We look forward to an afternoon where we can all come together to sing, dance and make merry as we kick off the festive season in our beloved Lytham.”

Appeal for help

For 2022 it will cost around £15,000 to stage the official Switch-On event with an additional £9,000 needed to keep the festive lights shining. Funding is provided for the cost of the festive lights but Lytham Christmas organisers rely on fundraising and donations to meet the costs of covering the actual event. They are now appealing to any business or individual who can support this financially. A Go Fund Me page has been set up where donatations can be made: https://www.gofundme.com/f/lytham-christmas-2022