Newton Abbot Christmas Lights Switch-On

Newton Abbot switches on its Christmas lights on Saturday 21 November 2026, with Father Christmas himself doing the honours at St Leonard’s Clock Tower, the medieval tower that stands at the centre of the town. The festivities run from midday until 6pm.

What’s on

An afternoon of daytime entertainment, street food and craft stalls, with free entertainment for children, building to the switch-on. It is organised by Newton Abbot Town Council and is very much a family event — the sort of switch-on where children can get close enough to see Father Christmas properly.

The clock tower

St Leonard’s Tower is all that remains of a medieval chapel, and it is the natural focus of the town centre. Having the switch-on there, rather than on a temporary stage in a car park, gives the event a sense of place that many town switch-ons lack.

Getting there

Newton Abbot station, on the main line between Exeter and Plymouth, is about ten minutes’ walk from the town centre, with direct trains from London Paddington. Parking in the centre fills up on switch-on day, and some roads are likely to be closed.

Make a day of it

Newton Abbot is a gateway to Dartmoor, which rises a few miles to the west, and to the Teign estuary. Exeter and its cathedral Christmas market are twenty minutes away by train, which makes a Devon Christmas weekend of the two entirely practical.

Switch-on crowds build well before the countdown, so arrive early if you want to see the stage, and dress for standing still outdoors after dark — see our guide to what to wear.

Worth knowing

The event runs from midday, so there is no need to arrive in the dark: the stalls and children’s entertainment make the afternoon worthwhile in its own right, with the switch-on as the finale.