County Wicklow’s Christmas lights start switching on this weekend

Here is all you need to know about some of the biggest Christmas light celebrations in County Wicklow.

Arklow Christmas lights switch on When: Saturday, November 23 from 5pm

Where: St Mary's Park, at the bandstand.

Travel: There is no parade, so no road closures, and there is free parking in council-owned car parks throughout the town on weekends (and for two hours mid-week during the festive period).

What else? As well as lights being turned on by a lucky and creative local child, chosen due to winning a Christmas tree decoration competition, there promises to be plenty of music and festive cheer, and most likely some special guests. Full line-up to be announced soon.

Blessington Christmas lights switch on When: Saturday, November 30 from 3.30pm

Where: Blessington Town Square

Travel: Free parking is available at the Herbert Road Car Park, in the Council-owned section and the Dart is scheduled to run as normal.

What else? Santa is coming, but so is the Grinch, a Christmas DJ for sing-along songs and a whole host of special guests and performers.

Bray Christmas lights switch on When: Saturday, November 23 from 4.45pm

Where: Civic Plaza in Bray

Travel: Free parking is available at the Herbert Road Car Park, in the Council-owned section and the Dart is scheduled to run as normal.

What else? Santa is coming, but so is the Grinch, a Christmas DJ for sing-along songs and a whole host of special guests and performers.

Greystones Christmas lights switch on When: Saturday, November 16 from 4.30pm

Where: The Santa parade will start at Eden Gate and will travel via Charlesland, past the rugby club via Delgany Wood, past Eastmount, Seagreen and Waverley, then through Blacklion and past St Kevin's School before reaching the Christmas Market at Marina Square. From there, the parade will travel around the seafront on La Touch Road, down to Church Road and into Burnaby Park to the Christmas lights.

Travel: Killincarrick Road and Church Road up to the junction with Hillside Road will be closed from 5pm to 8pm. The Dart is scheduled to run as normal though and there are alternative routes through Hillside Road and St Vincent's Road.

What else? A huge line-up of local choirs are set to perform, with local radio presenter Laura Wood set to MC. There is also a young dance troupe on the schedule and Junior Eurovision star Abiha Mansoor.

Wicklow town Christmas lights switch on When: Sunday, November 17 from 3.30pm

Where: The Santa parade starts at Abbey Street, where the Christmas lights are, and will finish at Market Square

Travel: Main Street will be closed from 2pm until 7pm, so leave enough time to park and walk to the festivities. There are two hours of free parking in car parks at Abbey Street, Church Street, Kilmantin Hill, the Gaol, St Patrick's Road, Castle Street and the Murrough every day until January 1.

What else? The will be live music to entertain all ages with the band Deja Vu booked

More Christmas light magic in Wicklow It's not just the major Garden County towns lighting up for Christmas and welcoming the main man for seasonal greetings, villages and towns across the land are preparing to twinkle and glitter.

On Thursday, November 28, St Saviours Church in Rathdrum hosts the annual Rathdrum Christmas Lights music concert from 7.30pm.

Artists include Lir Female Ensemble Arklow, the Wicklow ukulele band, Avondale community college choir, Arklow Gospel Choir and Derek McGraynor. Tickets cost €12 and are available at Avondale sports shop in Rathdrum or on the door on the night. Mince pies are promised at the afters.

Deep within the Wicklow Mountains National Park, the picturesque village of Laragh hosts a Santa parade from 6pm on Saturday, November 30, with a whole world of Christmas lights expected to illuminate his way.

Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus are bound for a tour of Enniskerry earlier that afternoon as the biblical journey to follow the North Star is recreated, starting at St Mary's Church at 3.30pm.

The following day the Brockagh Resource Centre in Laragh will host their annual Christmas market from 10am to 3pm.

In Knockananna in west Wicklow, the community will be out in force as the village lights up on December 8.

Throughout the Christmas period, Beyond The Trees Avondale also has an enchanting illumination display called Treetop Night Lights.