Oldham’s spectacular Christmas Parade and Switch On Show returns for the 25th year on Saturday 18 November.
The much-loved annual event for families will take over the streets and light up the town with music, entertainment, festive cheer, and community spirit.
Join us in the town centre for the fantastic parade starting at 12noon from the Old Town Hall. Watch out for Santa and all his friends, including over 200 local performers and community group members including Men Behaving Dadly, Alt Academy and Oldham Youth Service.
Listen to Oldham Scottish Pipe Band at 1pm, followed by the sensational Dobcross Silver Band at 1.30pm on the High Street (facing Rhode Island Coffee Shop).
Oldham’s very own Fierce Dance will be performing at 1.30pm outside the Old Town Hall, followed by meet and greets with Santa and his elf at 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm. So, bring your little ones and ask them to bring their Christmas lists!
From 12.30 to 5pm the town centre will be alive with strolling performers Mistletoe Belles, Ollie and Millie the Oldham Owls and Rodney the Reindeer, the enchanting Spruce Cantatus, Musical Ruth, the Fairy Godmother, and the Cheeky Christmas Elves Elf and Safety.
Don’t forget to take plenty of pictures with the performers and tag them on social with #ChristmasinOldham – we’ll be posting the best ones from the day.
And the festivities don’t end there. From 5.30pm it’s the grand Switch On Show outside the Old Town Hall featuring ‘The Wrong Reindeer’ a fairy-tale outdoor performance created by Oldham Theatre Workshop in partnership with Oldham Coliseum Theatre.
This heart-warming story follows a donkey’s wish to be a reindeer and a child who can’t wish at all, embarking on an adventure that reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas.
The evening will finish with a firework finale that will light up the night sky and illumination of the Christmas lights, marking the official start of the festive season.
