It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

North Tyneside’s town centres will sparkle with Christmas lights from Thursday (17 November), with a big programme of festive events kicking off too.

Colourful motifs can be found in Forest Hall, Whitley Lodge, Wallsend, North Shields, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth and Monkseaton.

Christmas trees adorned with lights are also being installed in their usual locations around the borough in the coming days.

Council staff and our partners Enerveo worked around the clock to get the lights up in time for the festive season.

Residents and visitors can find details of a range of things to do through to January in the new Winter Festival programme available online now.

Tynemouth has a late night Christmas shopping event on Thursday and Spanish City in Whitley Bay has a Christmas market this weekend.

Councillor Carl Johnson, Deputy Mayor of North Tyneside and Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Events, said: “Christmas is a really important time for retailers, and also for families and friends to spend time together, so we do all we can to make it as magical as possible in the borough. These are tough times for a lot of people and I think the simple act of putting up the lights will help to lift people’s spirits and spread some festive cheer.”

One of the festival highlights is the North Shields Christmas Market that returns on 10-11 December.

Around 75 stalls will now stretch along Howard Street whilst Northumberland Square will welcome some of the most sought-after street food traders in the region alongside a bar selling mulled wine and other festive favourites.

There’ll be fairground rides, a stage with entertainment from schools and community groups, fun walkabouts and activities at local churches, the Exchange, Beacon Centre and Customer First Centre.

Elsewhere, there are markets at the Linskill Centre, Whitley Bay and Tynemouth Metro stations and Whitley Bay town centre’s ‘Fiesta’.

Families will have the chance to meet and hear stories from Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas at the Forum in Wallsend.

Visitors to Cullercoats can see the community advent calendar that gradually unveils in residents’ windows.

There are events at Royal Quays, Stephenson Railway Museum, St Mary’s Lighthouse, Quorum Business Park, our parks and libraries and more.