Clapham Christmas lights 2016 poster
Although other areas in London have already turned their Christmas lights on, this week will be Clapham’s turn.
The event will be taking place from 3.00pm to 7:00pm on Saturday the 3rd and Sunday the 4th of December in Clapham Old Town.
“Better late than never!” said George Landale, member of EventLambeth department in the Lambeth Council.
“Clapham is more of a residential area. There are not many tourists, so we are not trying to attract people from outside Clapham. That is why we are getting our lights later than other places. We just want to satisfy our inhabitants and create a Christmassy atmosphere for them,” explained Landale. “We are more than happy to welcome foreigners however.”
“Although we are not looking for it, we are aware that our effort towards our Christmas lights might probably bring tourism in the future. Clapham’s lights are the true image of Christmas cozyness, which probably is one of the things that tourists are looking for when they come to London during winter,” explained Landale.
The activities taking place during the event, organised in conjunction with a local arts organisation, will include live bands, food and drink stalls, the opening of the Christmas market at 1:00pm on Saturday, the Christmas tree switch on and much more.
For the Lambeth Council wants to create an atmosphere of a united community. “It is our aim to create a good vibe within the whole borough. This will be extremely easy if we organise events where everyone goes to, such as the Clapham lights,” said Landale.
“The neighbourhood was very happy with how the event was organised last year”, added Landale. “We are very excited and looking forward to surprise them furthermore this weekend.”
We will see how the Christmas season in Clapham starts off this weekend!
Last year’s Clapham Christmas lights
