Lyme Regis switches on first, on 21 November. Weymouth and Swanage share 28 November, Sherborne lights its tree on 6 December. Times, places and gaps.

Four Dorset towns have confirmed when they switch their Christmas lights on this year. Lyme Regis goes first on Saturday 21 November, then Weymouth and Swanage on Saturday 28 November, then Sherborne lights its tree on Sunday 6 December.

Switch-ons are organised town by town, by town councils, chambers of trade and volunteer committees. There is no county-wide list, and several towns had published nothing for 2026 when this page went up on 6 September. What follows is what each organiser has actually said, with the gaps marked as gaps.

Confirmed for 2026

Town Date Time Where
Lyme Regis Saturday 21 November Parade from about 5pm Broad Street
Weymouth Saturday 28 November 4.30pm to 5.30pm Town centre
Swanage Saturday 28 November 3pm to 4.30pm, to be confirmed Outside The Mowlem
Sherborne Sunday 6 December 4pm Town centre

Lyme Regis, Saturday 21 November

Lyme Regis switches on in Broad Street, and it is the most theatrical of the four. Love Lyme Regis says Santa will arrive on his sleigh to lead the countdown.

The lantern parade makes its way down Broad Street from around 5pm, after the lantern judging. Lyme Regis Majorettes perform a routine, and Lyme Morris dance before the lights go on at 5pm.

Lyme has a full festive run after that:

  • Lyme Regis Christmas Tree Festival, Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December, Lyme Regis Baptist Church
  • The Big Christmas Weekend, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December
  • Santa’s grotto, Saturday 12 December from 10.45am, Lyme Regis Baptist Church
  • Carols Round the Tree, Wednesday 23 December, 7pm, Broad Street

Weymouth, Saturday 28 November

Weymouth Town Council has the switch-on in its events calendar for Saturday 28 November, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, in the town centre. The venue is given as New Bond Street, DT4 8LY.

The council has not yet published the running order, the guest who does the switching, or whether the elf world record attempt and parade run alongside it. Those details came out in late October or early November in previous years.

Weymouth Town Council has also applied for free parking on event days in past Novembers and Decembers, in the Dorset Council car parks in the town centre. Nothing has been confirmed for 2026, so do not count on it yet.

Swanage, Saturday 28 November

Swanage gathers outside The Mowlem. The event listing gives 3pm to 4.30pm but marks the timings as to be confirmed, so check nearer the date.

There is live entertainment, a formal countdown and mulled wine, and Father Christmas arrives on his sleigh. Swanage Pier holds a separate switch-on of its own, where you can dedicate a light to someone.

Swanage’s Christmas market follows a week later, on Saturday 5 December.

Sherborne, Sunday 6 December

Sherborne folds its switch-on into the end of its Festive Shopping Day. The Chamber of Trade and Commerce says the parade and the lighting of the tree happen at 4pm, closing a day that runs from 10am.

Cheap Street and South Street are shut to traffic all day, and the chamber lists eight free car parks. The full detail is on our Dorset Christmas markets page.

Not announced yet

  • Dorchester. The town’s switch-on has been held at Brewery Square, with live performances, a skating rink and a Christmas market of more than 30 stalls. The Brewery Square event page was still carrying an undated “Saturday 23rd November at 5pm” listing from a previous year in September 2026. No 2026 date has been published. Dorchester Town Council has separately confirmed Carols in the Gardens on Thursday 17 December at 6.30pm in Borough Gardens, a free carol concert with carol books provided.
  • Blandford Forum. The Yuletide Festival lights the town’s tree after a lantern parade led by Father Christmas and the Mayor. In 2025 the parade started at 6pm, the Mayor lit the tree at 6.15pm, and the event ran to 9pm with the town centre roads reopening at 10pm. The festival’s site had not published a 2026 date by 6 September, though it is recruiting stallholders and sponsors for a 2026 event.
  • Bridport, Shaftesbury and Wimborne. All hold switch-ons. None had published a 2026 date when this page went up.

We will add these as the organisers publish them.

Before you go

Switch-ons draw big crowds into small town centres in the dark, and several towns close their main street for the evening. Check our Dorset roadworks and travel page for closures on the day, and the parking in Dorset page for where to leave the car and what it costs.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Weymouth Christmas lights switched on?

Saturday 28 November 2026, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, in the town centre. Weymouth Town Council has the event on its own calendar with the venue given as New Bond Street, DT4 8LY.

When is the Lyme Regis Christmas lights switch-on?

Saturday 21 November 2026 in Broad Street. The lantern parade comes down Broad Street from about 5pm and Santa arrives on his sleigh for the countdown.

When does Swanage switch its lights on?

Saturday 28 November 2026, outside The Mowlem. The listed timing is 3pm to 4.30pm, but the organisers have marked it as still to be confirmed.

Has Dorchester announced its 2026 switch-on?

No. The Brewery Square event page was still carrying an undated listing from a previous year in September 2026. Dorchester Town Council has confirmed a separate free carol concert, Carols in the Gardens, on Thursday 17 December at 6.30pm in Borough Gardens.

Which Dorset town switches on first?

Lyme Regis, on 21 November, a week ahead of Weymouth and Swanage.

Sources