Sonny Green switched on Southend's Christmas lights on 14 November. The last seafront fireworks are on 21 November and Deck the Malls on 5 and 6 December.

Southend’s Christmas lights are on. Sonny Green and the Mayor, Cllr Tony Cox, switched them on at 6pm on Saturday 14 November 2026 in Victoria Circus. The free day ran from a 9am artisan market on the High Street to seafront fireworks at 7.30pm. Southend City BID ran it as Christmas in the City, with Southend Theatres as headline sponsor (Southend City BID).

Last checked 15 November 2026.

Overview

Updated 15 November: the switch-on took place on Saturday 14 November as planned.

  • Done: the city centre lights and two Christmas trees went on in Victoria Circus at 6pm on 14 November, and Southend Pier’s festoon lights went on at 5pm.
  • Next fireworks: the last seafront display of the season is on Saturday 21 November.
  • Next in the city centre: Big Up Southend on 28 November, Deck the Malls on 5 and 6 December, and a Nutcracker trail to 24 December.
  • In Leigh: Light Up Leigh is on Friday 27 November from 4pm.

How the day ran on Saturday 14 November

Time What happened
9am Artisan market across the High Street and in The Victoria Centre, with stalls and family rides to 6.30pm
12pm Main stage opened, hosted by BBC Essex Breakfast presenter Sonia Watson
12pm to 4pm Storytelling bus near Lloyds Bank, busking spots and the free “Become a Christmas Star” trail
4pm Southend Pier opened for its evening switch-on
5pm Southend Pier’s festoon lights went on
Just before 6pm Christmas Sing Song led by The Show Choir
6pm The city centre lights and two Christmas trees were switched on in Victoria Circus
7.30pm Seafront fireworks

The times come from the BID’s event schedule and its Christmas brochure (Southend City BID, Christmas brochure). Essex Police had a dispersal order in force in Southend from 9am that day, because Southend United played Aldershot Town at 3pm (Essex Police).

Who was on stage

Sonny Green performed on the main stage and then switched on the lights at 6pm. He reached the live final of Britain’s Got Talent 2026, finishing sixth, and his England World Cup track “We’re Telling ‘Em” reached No.17 on the Official Singles Sales Chart, according to the BID (Southend City BID, switch-on star announced).

BBC Essex was the media partner and Sonia Watson hosted from 12pm. The performers named beforehand were:

  • Barling Magna Primary Academy
  • jazz artist Ruby Robinson
  • Kangoo Southend
  • The Show Choir, which led the Christmas Sing Song before the countdown

Cast from the Cliffs Pavilion pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, joined the switch-on (Southend City BID, 4 November).

Things for children on the day

  • The “Become a Christmas Star” trail, 12pm to 4pm, free. Visit Utopia Coffee Lounge, Laurence Mathews Art Shop, The Victoria Centre and c2c Southend Central. Children who finish all four activities get the chance to meet Santa in his grotto.
  • The storytelling bus, near Lloyds Bank, 12pm to 4pm.
  • Characters on the High Street through the day, posing for photos.
  • The Royals grotto opened the same day and runs on, at £8 a child: see Santa’s grotto in Southend.

Southend Pier lights, 4pm to 8pm

Southend Pier held its own switch-on the same evening. Its festoon lights went on at 5pm, “for the first time in over 20 years” by the pier’s account. Visitors could stay on the pier to watch the 7.30pm fireworks (Southend Pier, Pier Switch On).

  • When: Saturday 14 November 2026, 4pm to 8pm.
  • Cost: standard admission. The council gives walking admission as £3.10 for adults and £2.10 for children and concessions (Southend-on-Sea City Council, 11 November 2026).
  • Good to know: the “On the Decks” area at the Pier Head has new neon lighting and light benches, and the Royal Pavilion serves food and drink through the evening.

The fireworks, and the last display on 21 November

The finale was one of the free seafront displays, fired from the estuary off Southend Seafront (Southend-on-Sea City Council, seafront fireworks). The council warns that displays may be called off in bad weather. One more display follows on Saturday 21 November, listed on our Southend fireworks page.

Parking in the city centre this winter

Two council rules matter on a November evening in the city centre (Southend-on-Sea City Council, car park charges):

  • Zone 1A costs the same as Zone 1B from November to January. Three hours on the central seafront falls from £8.70 to £6.60.
  • From 6pm, Zone 1 is a flat £5.00 for up to three hours. Charging stops at 6pm in Zones 2 and 3.

The car parks around the High Street, including Alexandra Street, Clarence Road, Tylers Avenue and Warrior Square, are Zone 2A, so they are free from 6pm. Every tariff is on our parking in Southend page.

Christmas in the city after the switch-on

The BID’s brochure lists what follows in the city centre:

  • Big Up Southend, local makers on the first floor of The Victoria Centre, Saturday 28 November and Saturday 12 December, 11am to 4pm.
  • Deck the Malls at The Victoria Centre, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, 11am to 5pm, with a pop-up market and a free meet and greet with Father Christmas, no booking needed.
  • A Nutcracker trail around the city centre from 14 November to 24 December.

Every market date is on the Southend Christmas markets page.

Light Up Leigh, Friday 27 November

Leigh-on-Sea’s own Christmas evening is Light Up Leigh, on Friday 27 November from 4pm, run by Leigh-on-Sea Town Council (Leigh-on-Sea Town Council).

  • Where: Elm Road, the Broadway, Broadway West and Rectory Grove, closed to traffic from 3pm to 8pm.
  • What: a Christmas market in the Lower Hall of the Community Centre from 3pm to 8pm, choirs in the Library Gardens from 6pm to 7pm, Santa’s grotto with the Leigh Lions, and free mulled wine and mince pies from 4pm.

The closed roads and the nearest car parks are on our Light Up Leigh page.

Sources