Festive spirit shines across Tameside as final Christmas lights switched on

Tameside’s final Christmas light switch-on events lit up the borough over the weekend, as residents came together in Hattersley, Mossley, Micklehurst and Hollingworth to celebrate the start of the festive season.

The celebrations began on Friday 5 December at the Hattersley Hub, where families gathered between 4pm and 8pm for an evening filled with festive cheer. The event brought together local schools, community groups and businesses in a warm show of community spirit. Markets, Christmas fairs, holiday crafts and musical performances helped bring the town centre to life, creating a wonderfully welcoming atmosphere. The celebration not only highlighted the area’s strong sense of togetherness but also provided an important boost for local traders.

Later that evening, Mossley welcomed crowds to George Lawton Hall from 4pm to 7:30pm for its Christmas celebration. Visitors enjoyed a bustling Christmas Fair, lively music and dancing in the marketplace, and beautifully crafted displays from Global Grooves. The highlight of the night came with the Christmas lights being switched on to delighted cheers, followed, of course, by a special visit from Santa himself. The event proved to be a magical start to the season, leaving many residents commenting that it was “beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.”

The weekend of festivities concluded on Saturday 6 December in Micklehurst, where the final switch-on event brought the community together at the Mossley Youth Base. Free parking helped encourage families into the area as they enjoyed a Christmas café, children’s activities, music and a busy Santa’s Grotto. The celebrations then moved to Micklehurst Road, where St John’s Band, Global Grooves puppets and performers led the crowd in song before the lights were switched on, filling the village with festive sparkle.

Saturday also saw Hollingworth join in the festivities with its own Christmas light switch-on, adding even more sparkle to the weekend. Residents gathered for an evening of community cheer as families enjoyed seasonal activities, festive music from Tintwistle Brass Band and the much-anticipated lighting of the village display. 

Organisers thanked everyone who attended, adding that they hope the community enjoyed this year’s festive programme as much as they enjoyed bringing it to life.