Thame Set to Sparkle at Christmas Lights Switch On

Thame at Christmas time

It’s time to dust off the Christmas jumpers and join us for an unforgettable evening of community spirit, festive cheer, and the enchanting glow of Thame’s Christmas lights.

Hundreds of people are expected to converge on the town centre tomorrow night (Friday 29 Nov) for the annual Christmas Lights Switch On event, sponsored by Lightfoots Solicitors. 

Activities will commence at 4pm, with festive stall holders offering an array of goodies. There will be free rides for children from 5pm, a Helter Skelter and chair ride generously sponsored by Thame Cars, while the main entertainment will kick off at 6pm, hosted by Rev. Paddy Harris (from Cornerstone Thame) and Pastor Anthony Taylor (from Grace Church).

The Thame Concert Band will fill the air with Christmas tunes throughout the night. There will also be performances from the Thame Players, and local singer Philippa Mummery, who will lead the sing-a-long with a couple of Christmas favourites.

Thanks to Thame & District Round Table, Santa and his elves will also be roaming through the crowd, so make sure you say hello.

Doing the Honours
This year, event organisers wanted to shine the spotlight on a local hero, and we are honoured that Chris Hurdman accepted our invitation to switch on the lights.

Chris, a beloved market trader in Thame, was awarded the Community Award at the English Veterans Awards in October. A former member of the Royal Engineers, Chris has been a cornerstone of Thame’s Tuesday Charter Market for over 30 years and has organised Thame Market’s Community Day for the past 25 years. He has also climbed mountains, literally, raising thousands of pounds in the process for Helen & Douglas House and RE-ACT Disaster Response.

Chris will switch on the lights at 6.30pm, illuminating our 29-foot Nordmann fir tree, adorned with thousands of tiny lights, kindly donated by ASM Auto Recycling.

 

Road Closures
The Thame High Street/Cornmarket (from Bell Lane to North Street), Buttermarket, and High Street Carpark will be closed to traffic from midday until 8pm on Friday (29 Nov) in preparation for the Christmas Lights Switch On.

Event Timeline
4.00pm – Stalls open
5.00pm – Free rides (Helter Skelter & Chair Ride) open
5.45pm – Santa and his elves drop by
6.00pm – Entertainment begins on stage with the Thame Concert Band, Thame Players, and Philippa Mummery performing.
6.30pm – Christmas lights switch on
7.00pm – Event concludes

Additional Activities
Several local businesses along the High Street will stay open until 7pm to join in the festivities.

From 5.30pm, Lightfoots Solicitors ‘Lightfoots elves’ will have festive treats, crafts, a children’s lucky dip, and gift tombola, with proceeds going to Sands, their charity of the year. While Specsavers Thame will also be providing festive cheer.

Selfie Station
Don’t forget to visit the new, colourful selfie station outside the Town Hall, provided by Your Dentist in Thame. On display from the Switch-On and throughout December, you can share your festive selfies on the Christmas in Thame Facebook page for the chance to win a prize!

Food Stalls
Christmas party goers will be able to indulge in a variety of foods from around the world:

  • Bokkie (South African)
  • Gyro World (Greek)
  • Jerk Box (Caribbean)
  • Manomi Eat (Vietnamese)
  • Total Cow (Burgers)
  • Oh So Dough (Donuts)
  • JW Events (Popcorn, Candy Floss, Sweets)
  • Caked in Bread: Traditional and flavoured breads, savouries, and Christmas products (located next to the Hot Chocolate stall).

Drink Stalls

  • Rotary Club of Thame: Mulled wine stations near the Town Hall.
  • MYCASO Bar: Soft drinks, beer, wine, mulled cider, and other festive drinks near the food stalls.
  • Hot Chocolate Stall: Located to the left of the stage, offering delicious hot chocolate with toppings.

Gift & Community Stalls

  • Oxfordshire Freemasons – Teddies for Loving Care: Raising funds for teddies for A&E Departments.
  • Thame & District Twinning Association: Serving crepes with lemon and chocolate spread.
  • The Hovernauts: Decorative light-up bottles, scarves, keyrings, and handcrafted items.
  • Engraves By Destiny: Laser-engraved gifts on slate, wood, acrylic, and glass.
  • Knit & Purl: Handmade knitted accessories.
  • Thame Church: Christmas service flyers and chocolates.
  • LCA Pet Supplies: Christmas gifts for pets.
  • Friends ‘n’ Trends: Jewellery and gifts for kids.
  • Lea Park Residents’ Association: Learn about their community work.
  • The Cheese Nook: British cheeses shaped like Christmas trees, snowmen, and more.
  • 21st Century Thame: Learn about the work of Thame Trees.

Christmas Charities Fair

The festivities continue on Saturday, 30 November, at the Thame Town Hall. The Christmas Charities Fair will be held from 10am-2pm in the Upper Chamber. Visitors will enjoy tombolas, Christmas gifts, toys, raffles, refreshments from the Girl Guides, and entertainment from local singer, Michael Hodges.

This year’s Fair will be supporting local and national charities, including Amnesty International, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Cancer Research, Cat Protection Chiltern Branch, Girl Guides, Grace Church, Hospice Lottery, League of Friends of Thame Hospital, National Institute for Health & Care Research Network, Red Kite Family Centre, Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse, Relay for Life Aylesbury, Thame Activity Group (TAG), Thame & District Twinning Association, Thame Inner Wheel, and Thame Youth Projects.

Santa’s Grotto
While the Charities Fair is happening upstairs on Saturday, downstairs in the Information Centre, you’ll find Santa’s Grotto. The Grotto will be open from 10am to 4pm. Thanks to sponsor, Lucy Electric, every child who visits Santa will receive a small gift.

This year, Lucy Electric are also raising funds for the Lord Williams’s School Young Carers, one of the mayor’s chosen charities for 2024.

Reindeer Trail: Sponsored by Specsavers Thame, children can collect a reindeer trail from Specsavers or the Thame Town Council Christmas web page, then visit the nine venues where Santa’s reindeer have been spotted. Children who complete the trail will receive a small gift and the chance to win one of three Christmas hampers.

Letters to Santa: This year, Santa has set up a special post box at Specsavers Thame. Drop your letter into the specially marked post box and receive a personalised reply from Santa! You can download a letter template here. Don’t forget to include your address if you want Santa to reply.

Window Displays: Businesses and residents are encouraged to decorate their windows. Upload a photo of your display on the Window Displays competition page for the chance to win a Christmas hamper, thanks to BP Collins Solicitors.