GALLERY: Ripon kicks off festive season with Christmas lights switch-on

The festive season got underway in Ripon last night as Father Christmas officially switched on the city’s Christmas lights.

His arrival was the highlight of five hours of free festive entertainment in the Market Square, where families enjoyed fairground rides, carol singing, a snow globe, live music and a life-size animatronic polar bear.

At 5pm, Father Christmas and mayor Andrew Williams led the crowd in a countdown before switching on the lights on the Christmas tree outside the Town Hall.

You can watch a live video of the countdown on the Stray Ferret's Facebook page.

The festive illuminations were also switched on across the city, with this year’s display extending further afield than ever before.

Ripon City Council continues to invest heavily in the celebrations. Its 2026/27 budget allocated £45,000 for Christmas lights – £3,500 more than the previous year.

A further £20,000 was set aside to fund yesterday’s festivities.

Elsewhere in the district, there will be no Christmas lights switch-on event in Harrogate this year, although the town’s festive lights have been funded by Harrogate Business Improvement District.

Knaresborough’s Christmas lights switch-on will take place as part of the town’s Bright Friday celebrations on November 27, followed by Masham’s event the next day.

Boroughbridge’s lights will be switched on at 5.30pm on December 2, while Pateley Bridge’s festive event is scheduled for December 4.

Here are some pictures capturing the festive atmosphere in Ripon as the city welcomed the Christmas season.

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