Festive family fun awaits Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd this Christmas!
Hebden Royd Town Council (HRTC) has announced its festive programming for Christmas 2026, bringing both a new look and revised approach that seeks to place families and community groups back at the heart of its events. HRTC is delighted to continue to bring festive cheer through its well-known Christmas Lights Switch On events, along with Santa’s Grotto to both Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd.
For residents and visitors joining the festive celebrations, the difference this year will be that these major events will be separated, with the Lights Switch-Ons and Santa’s Grotto becoming two separate events, taking place on different dates in both Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge. Responding to feedback from families on the ground who have previously found themselves divided between queuing to see Santa and potentially missing acts like our local schools singing on stage, this revised approach ensures that there is plenty of time for everyone to participate in each activity.
The dates and locations of the revised events will therefore be:
Christmas Lights Switch On (with family-friendly entertainment from community acts)
- Saturday 21st November, St. Michael’s Church, Mytholmroyd
- Thursday 26th November, St. George’s Square, Hebden Bridge
Santa’s Grotto (including children’s craft activities)
- Sunday 6th December, Mytholmroyd community Centre
- Saturday 12th December, Hebden Bridge Town Hall
The Christmas Lights Switch Ons – previously under the name Light Up the Valley – fall in November owing to the necessary alignment with the installation of streetscape Christmas lights, which are also funded by HRTC. In previous years, Santa’s Grotto has been held at the same event, with families visiting Santa in November – much earlier in the season than is perhaps traditionally expected!
By separating the events, Councillors hope that people will be able to focus on the parts that are special to them, while also extending opportunities for increased footfall to our valued local businesses. The decisions to refresh HRTC Christmas Events were made earlier this year by the council’s Christmas Projects & Events Committee with the aim to spread HRTC investment more widely across the festive season, rather than all at one event. This, along with the Rotary Club of Hebden Bridge looking to focus on alternative projects, has seen Light Up the Valley, in its present form, reach a natural conclusion.
“Rotary’s Light up the Valley, which came out of the post-Covid period with the intention of returning to community life, did an outstanding job. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the Rotarians, volunteers, staff and council officers that made it happen. An extra special thank you is due to Rotary’s Roger Benn, who worked tirelessly over many years to bring Christmas magic to thousands of residents and visitors alike. We look forward to continuing to partner with the Rotary on future projects and we’re excited for what the next chapter may bring.”
The Mayor, Cllr Steve Woodhead
While exploring new opportunities, Rotary will remain a core partner in supporting the delivery aspect of other HRTC events, for example, through volunteers stewarding at the Mytholmroyd Remembrance Sunday parade on Sunday 8 November.
Against the backdrop of a cost of living crisis and continuing pressures on Councils to provide excellent value for public money, the approach also intends to balance the rising costs of running larger-scale community events with a reduced projects and events budget. This has necessitated a revision of the events themselves, especially the scale and duration of the Lights Switch On event at Mytholmroyd. This year the event will be relocated from Mytholmroyd Community Centre back to St. Michael’s Church – where it previously ran for many years – forming a smaller event that is much more reflective of the same event held at Hebden Bridge. At both sites, big-ticket acts will also be stripped back, putting community groups squarely at the heart of the action and bringing a more cosy and intimate feel back to Christmas.
“The festive events planned for 2026 have the community and families at their heart. While slightly different to previous years, they will keep our community’s traditions at the forefront and means that we can spread the festive cheer further this season. Critically, the new, more condensed Lights Switch On events leave scope for community investment beyond Christmas.”
Cllr Hedges, Chair of the Christmas Lighting, Projects & Events Committee
The council is looking to extend its festive events into the new year, bringing some sparkle to the darkest months. Plans are underway for a possible event in February 2027 half term with more info to come – watch this space!
More information on HRTC’s festive events programme will be available in the following weeks, but in the meantime please contact the office team with any enquiries.
info@hebdenroydtowencouncil.gov.uk
01422 842181
