The search is on for the person to switch on the Christmas lights in Winchester city centre. 

Winchester BID is inviting nominations for someone to press the giant red button to light up the Guildhall and High Street. 

The Christmas lights will be switched on at 6.30pm on Thursday, November 16.

This year’s event will be hosted by Heart Radio and the night will be full of festive fun, with Santa’s Sleigh and live performances from Harestock Primary School Choir, The Pilgrims’ School Chamber Choir, Winchester A Capella, Integr8 Dance, Theatre Royal Winchester, Spitfire Sisters, Rock Choir and Diva Academy to help kick start the festive season celebrations. 

The giant inflatable snow globe will be installed in The Square from 12pm. It's part of a fundraising initiative for Spare Change For Lasting Change and 100 per cent of donations will go directly to The Winchester Beacon and Trinity Winchester. 

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Santa will be parking his sleigh next to the snow globe this year to enable more selfie opportunities with some snow.

Sarah Davis, Winchester BID manager, said: “We are delighted to be coordinating the switch on festivities again this year. A big thank you to the event sponsor Dutton Gregory. This will be a fun-filled, community event that brings together the city of Winchester. It is also the perfect opportunity to shine the spotlight on local community heroes, which is why we will be searching for well-deserving local people to help switch on this year’s Christmas lights.

“On the night, we will be encouraging the public to get involved with the celebrations on social media too, to tag their photos and posts with @winchesterbid so we can repost and share the fun.”

Nominations for a person to which on the lights can be made by visiting surveymonkey.co.uk/r/christmas-lights-2023. They have to be made by Tuesday, October 31.