Plymouth's iconic Barbican is set to sparkle this week with as Christmas Lights are set to be switched on on Saturday 18 November.

This will mark the beginning of the Christmas celebrations on The Barbican and there is set to be a whole afternoon of family activities taking place in Plymouth's historic quarter, before Santa Claus, The Lord Mayor, Dame Darcey Bussell and the community hero make the streets shine in the evening with the big unveiling of the lights!

Check out some of the top things you can get up to during the day:

Watch the lights turn on

Head to the festive bus on Southside Street for the big Barbican Christmas Lights switch on at approximately 5.30pm! 

Join in the countdown and marvel in the glowing beauty as the twinkly lights illuminate the historic streets.

Look out for the special guests on the bus including Santa, the Lord Mayor, Community Hero Professor Jacqui Stedmon, co-founder of Jeremiah's Journey and Dame Darcey Bussell MBE.  

Look out for Santa! 

Keep your eyes peeled for Santa this weekend as he descends on The Barbican for the celebrations.

Have the opportunity to meet Santa and give him your Christmas list at the Grotto on The Barbican. Booking your spot to visit Saint Nick is essential in advance to avoid dissappointment. 

Watch out for Santa as he embarks on a magical journey across the water aboard an RNLI lifeboat. Santa will be arriving on Barbican Landing Stage at Commercial Wharf from 4pm. 

Pick up a Christmas treat

A wide variety of local traders are set to line the streets of The Barbican on the day offering an array of tasty local treats, handmade gifts and more so you can get ahead of the game and pick up some Christmas presents!

Stall holders will be present on The Parade, West Pier and opposite the Barbican Tourist Information Centre throughout the day.

Enjoy a festive sing song

Soak up the festive feels by taking in one of the many live performances throughout the afternoon. Performances from choirs, bands, singers and more will take place at The Parade, the Santa Bus Performance area, and the Southside street. 

Enter your pooch to the Gables Dog Show

A new addition to the festivities on the Barbican this year is the Gables Dog Show!

Show off your dog at the competition from 2pm on West Pier to be in with a chance of winning prizes! You can register your four-legged friend for £2 on the day with all proceeds set to go towards helping the dogs and cats at Gables.

Visit the official Barbican Christmas Lights Switch On page for further information

For further inspiration, content, news visit our dedicated Christmas in Plymouth page or sign-up to our newsletter.

In partnership with GWR, Destination Plymouth’s lead travel partner