The council has not set the 2026 date. The last three switch-ons ran on a November Saturday on The Square, announced between late September and mid-October.

Harborough District Council has not yet announced the 2026 Christmas Lights Switch On. As of 4 September 2026 there is nothing in the council’s news feed, and its own events calendar for November 2026 lists only the monthly Farmers Market on The Square, on Thursday 5 November. (Harborough District Council events calendar)

That is normal for early September. Here is when the announcement has landed in each of the last three years, and what it said, so you can judge the odds rather than guess.

When the council has announced it

Chart showing the Market Harborough Christmas Lights Switch On date and announcement date for each year from 2023 to 2025. In 2023 the council announced on 26 September for an event on Saturday 18 November. In 2024 it announced on 4 October for Saturday 23 November. In 2025 it announced on 15 October for Saturday 22 November. The 2026 date had not been announced by 4 September 2026.
Source: Harborough District Council news articles 1662, 1785 and 1905. Graphic by Harborough News.
Market Harborough Christmas Lights Switch On, recent years
YearAnnouncedEventLights on
202326 SeptemberSaturday 18 November, from 5pm7pm
20244 OctoberSaturday 23 November, from 5pm6.30pm
202515 OctoberSaturday 22 November, from 5pm6.30pm
2026Not yetNot announcedNot announced

The pattern is consistent on the parts that matter. It is a Saturday, it is in the second half of November, it starts at 5pm on The Square, and since 2024 the lights have gone on at 6.30pm rather than 7pm. The 2023 announcement was headlined on the move to a Saturday, which the council said was to “encourage a bigger footfall in the town centre” and to let people come without “rushing home from school or work”. (Harborough District Council, 26 September 2023)

We are not going to print a 2026 date the council has not set. What we will say is that the announcement has come between late September and mid-October in each of the last three years, so expect it in the next six weeks.

What the evening usually involves

From the council’s own write-ups of 2023, 2024 and 2025:

  • The Square, Market Harborough, from 5pm
  • The Christmas tree lit on the night, sponsored by Market Harborough Building Society
  • Free street entertainment: stilt walkers, LED hula-hoopers, jugglers
  • Father Christmas, and in 2024 a rodeo reindeer
  • Live music through the evening, with Harborough FM playing and compering
  • The best dressed shop window competition launched on the night and voted for by the public
  • Baubles decorated by local primary school children on the tree, in 2023

Road closures

For the 2024 event the council closed three points from 4pm to 9pm: the bridge on Northampton Road, St Mary’s Road at the junction with Adam and Eve Street, and the junction of High Street and Coventry Road. (Harborough District Council, 31 October 2024)

The council did not repeat a closure list in its 2025 announcement, so treat the 2024 list as the likely shape and not as this year’s notice. We will publish the real one when it appears.

Parking on the night

Council car parks charge only from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, so from 6pm the town’s council car parks are free. Every council car park in the district is free all day on Sundays and bank holidays. Full tariffs and the free bays are on our Market Harborough parking page, and live closures are on the roadworks and travel page.

One thing that has not been repeated recently: in 2023 the council gave free parking on the four Saturdays before Christmas, announced on 25 October that year. It has not published the same offer since, so do not plan on it. (Harborough District Council, 25 October 2023)

The rest of the festive diary

The council published a full list of key dates for 2025, which gives a fair idea of the shape of a Harborough Christmas: the switch-on, then Fab Friday late night shopping the following Friday, an Artisan Fair the day after, a Farmers’ Market in the first week of December, a Christmas Fayre, then another Artisan Fair and Farmers’ Market before Christmas.

For 2026, the dates already published by Harborough Market are the Farmers’ Market on Thursday 5 November and Thursday 3 December, and Artisan Fairs on Saturday 31 October, Saturday 28 November and Saturday 12 December, all on The Square. (Harborough Market events)

If you want fireworks first, the Harborough Fireworks Spectacular is on Wednesday 4 November at the showground, and Lutterworth’s switch-on is confirmed for Friday 27 November with a fireworks display of its own.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Market Harborough Christmas lights switch-on 2026?

Harborough District Council had not announced a 2026 date as of 4 September 2026. Nothing appears in its news feed or its November 2026 events calendar.

When will the 2026 date be announced?

The last three announcements came on 26 September 2023, 4 October 2024 and 15 October 2025, so late September to mid-October is the window to watch.

What time does the Market Harborough switch-on start?

It has started at 5pm on The Square in each of the last three years. The lights themselves went on at 7pm in 2023 and at 6.30pm in both 2024 and 2025.

Where is the Market Harborough Christmas lights switch-on held?

The Square, Market Harborough, LE16 7PA, with the sponsored Christmas tree lit on the night.

Is parking free for the switch-on?

Council car parks charge only from 7am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, so an evening visit costs nothing. The free Saturday parking the council offered in December 2023 has not been repeated since.

Sources