Lambeth shines with its best ever Christmas lights

Town centres in Lambeth are all a-glow as they prepare to flick the switch for our biggest and best ever Christmas lights. The borough’s high streets have benefited from a £200,000 boost from the Lambeth Opportunities Fund this year, which has been spent on extending and improving Christmas light decorations.

Details of the Christmas lights events are as follows:

Waterloo

Date: Thursday 1 December
Time: 5pm
Place: The Cubana Bar & Restaurant, Lower Marsh Waterloo, SE1

Entertainment and refreshments, plus carol singers and fun for all the children. In collaboration with Lower Marsh People, Old Vic Theatre, Waterloo Green Trust and Waterloo Quarter Business Alliance.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams will join Kevin Spacey, artistic director of the Old Vic will be switching on the lights.

Find out more about who's lighting up Waterloo this Christmas.

Clapham

Date: Friday 2 December
Time: 6pm
Place: Clapham Common, The Pavement (by Clapham Common tube), SW4

Clapham's Christmas Festival of Lights kicks off with children from four local schools leading a procession to Clapham Common. Carrying Chinese lanterns they have made at special workshops, the procession precedes the turning on of the Christmas lights on Clapham High Street and the Old Town.

This year's event includes a spectacular giant light sculpture on the Common and fire juggling performance. Volunteers will provide mince pies and soft drinks for a donation in support of the Trinity Hospice Light Up a Life charity appeal.

An anticipated audience of up to 1,000 people is expected to witness this incredible open-air event which is organised by eyemusic, who run the popular annual Colourscape festival on the Common.

Brixton

Date: Friday 2 December
Time: 5pm
Place: Brixton Tate Gardens, outside the library, SW2

Children from St.Jude’s and St.Andrew’s primary schools will process through the market to sing for the stall holders, and then on to the Gardens, the square at the front of the library where they will sing their carols before the lighting of the Christmas tree. A children’s performance will commence at 4.30pm in Tate Gardens. The lighting up of the large tree in the square plus the adornments on lighting columns and the high street will take place at 5.00pm. Additional entertainment and refreshments will be provided until 7pm.

Streatham

Streatham's lights were switched on by the Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Daphne Marchant, on Saturday 19 November.