Fill your Christmas 2021 with festive sparkle from magical winter wonderlands to town-centre Xmas lights celebrations
Norwich Tunnel of Light
The magnificent Tunnel of Light returns to light up Norwich city centre from November 16 to January 5. The walk-through illumination will once-again shimmer with ever-changing patterns and colours from Millennium Plain to Gentleman’s Walk.
Christmas lights up the Castle
Festive projections on Norwich Castle will tell the story of a city Christmas exactly 900 years ago when Henry I celebrated with feasting and fun in his royal palace of Norwich Castle. The story of a royal Christmas in Norwich in 1121 will be beamed on to the Castle from November 16 to January 5. A linked Christmas Crown Trail, The Story of the King, will run through the city.
Pop-up Xmas
Nine centuries of Norwich Christmasses will also be celebrated at a pop-up installation at Norwich Market from November 17 to December 17. The free Journey through Christmastime will tell the story of Christmas in Norwich in pictures, with two market stalls decorated with trees and fairy lights and images of festivities in Norwich through the centuries.
Magnificent Blickling
The gardens of the magnificent National Trust mansion are lit for Christmas from November 29 to December 19 with the walled garden, parterre and avenues transformed into a shimmering wonderland. Christmas food and drink add to the atmosphere. Tickets must be booked https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling-estate/features/christmas-garden-of-lights-at-blickling-estate
Luminate Sandringham
A mesmerising illuminated trail, set to ambient music, will wind through the parkland of the royal Sandringham estate from November 12 to December 19. Book tickets at https://luminate.live/sandringham-estate
Enchanting Thursford
As well as hosting the country’s biggest Christmas Thursford, near Fakenham, stages its Enchanted Journey of Light. The illuminated indoor and outdoor trail passes penguins, polar bears and more, through fields of lanterns and glowing sculptures ranging from the sea to the North Pole. November 19 to 23. Tickets from £16. thursford.com or 01328 878477.
Garden lights
See Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden in South Walsham beautifully illuminated for Christmas from November 27 to December 23. The twinkling lights trail through the garden will be open from 4-8pm, Thursday to Saturday.
Traditional Xmas lights switch-on events are back!
Towns across the county will sparkle with festive cheer as traditional Christmas lights events return.
The festivities begin in Holt on Friday November 19, with the switch-on event including the traditonal pantomime horse race down the High Street plus a firework display at 7pm.
Christmas races into Great Yarmouth on Friday November 26 with the lights switch-on in the Market Place, as part of a weekend of festivities taking in Christmas in the Parks at St George’s Park in Yarmouth and the Priory Gardens in Gorleston plus a Santa's Grotto at The Waterways and a Christmas tree and crib festival in the Minster.
Aylsham Christmas switch-on is also am on November 26 (with music and Santa’s grotto), followed by the festive North Walsham event on November 27 (with Father Christmas in attendance)
Fakenham’s Christmas Lights event is on Saturday November 27, with the town’s its traditional Christmas tree festival at the church running from November 25 to December 2.
See Cromer sparkle into Christmas on December 4. (And the church Christmas Tree Festival begins on November 29.)
Belton, near Great Yarmouth also has a switch-on event on December 4.
Swaffham will have a live animal nativity, ice-skating and a Christmas market at its festive lights switch-on over the weekend of December 4 and 5, with the actual switch-on at 5pm December 5.
Stalham’s Victorian Yuletide market in the High Street on December 5 will include stalls, music and a Christmas tree festival in the church.
