Horsham's Christmas Launch Party returns on Friday 20 November 2026 from 4pm, the BID confirms. The switch-on time and line-up are not out yet. What to expect.

Horsham’s Christmas lights go on at the Christmas Launch Party on Friday 20 November 2026, and the town-wide programme starts at 4pm.

That is the whole of what has been published so far. Your Horsham, the town’s Business Improvement District, confirmed the date on its Christmas page and says only that this year’s “town-wide magic will commence from 4pm”, with more detail to follow. No switch-on time, no location for the tree ceremony, no line-up and no guest have been announced.

Horsham District Council has not published anything about Christmas 2026 either. Its events page still lists the summer programme, and the council’s old Christmas Launch Party page now returns a 404. In previous years the council and the BID have run the evening jointly, so expect the council’s own announcement in late October or early November.

What to expect, from the last published running order

The most recent timetable either organisation put out in full was for the 2024 launch, on Friday 22 November that year. It is a fair guide to the shape of the evening, though none of it is confirmed for 2026.

Time in 2024 What happened
4pm to 5pm Live music in the Bishopric
5pm to 5.45pm St Mary’s Church Choir and primary school choir lead a lantern parade from St Mary’s Church via the Forum, West Street and the Bishopric to the Carfax, finishing at Market Square
5.45pm to 6pm Christmas tree and lights switch-on at Market Square, outside Bill’s
6.30pm to 7.15pm Pantomime singalong at the Carfax bandstand
8pm to 9pm Live band at Market Square

The party ran 4pm to 9pm with late night shopping until 8pm, street performers, stilt walkers, food and drink stalls and a spend-and-win prize draw. The switch-on itself was led by John Partridge, the star of that year’s Capitol pantomime (Horsham District Council, 15 October 2024).

The stage put up at Market Square for the launch stayed in place for the following six weeks for community performances, which is worth knowing if you run a choir or a school group and want a slot.

Two things that could make 2026 different

The Capitol is still shut on 20 November. The theatre reopens on Sunday 29 November with the pantomime Dick Whittington, nine days after the launch party. In 2024 the panto star led the switch-on and the cast sang at the bandstand. Whoever switches the lights on this year, the Capitol’s company will not have opened its show yet. Our page on the Capitol pantomime has the full run and prices.

Swan Walk is reopening in phases. The centre closed on 13 July after a glazing fault, and as of early September the Carfax Mall is open from the Carfax entrance down to the Next and T.G. Jones area, with the rest still to come. The centre has not published a date for full reopening (Swan Walk Shopping Centre). Late night shopping is a standard part of the launch evening, so how much of it happens indoors this year depends on how far the phased reopening has got by 20 November.

Getting there and parking

Charging in the council’s town centre car parks runs to 8pm on a Friday in the multi-storeys, and the surface car parks are cheaper. Swan Walk and Piries Place are both open 24 hours and both switch to a £2.80 overnight tariff from 8pm, which is roughly when the launch party winds down. BT Exchange is free after 5pm on weekdays, which makes it the cheapest option for an evening like this one, though it is a small car park and it will fill. Full tariffs are on our Horsham parking page.

Expect town centre road closures on the night. None have been published yet for 2026. When they are, they will show up as event closures rather than on the county roadworks register, and we track both on the Horsham roadworks and travel page.

Christmas markets across the district

Horsham is not the only place with a festive market. In past years the council has promoted Christmas market events in Billingshurst, Henfield, Horsham, Pulborough, Steyning and Storrington. No 2026 dates for any of them had been published by 4 September.

What is still to be announced

Detail Status on 4 September 2026 Expected
Launch party date Confirmed, Friday 20 November Announced
Start time Confirmed, from 4pm Announced
Lights switch-on time and place Not published October or early November
Guest switching on the lights Not published October or early November
Full entertainment line-up Not published October or early November
Late night shopping hours Not published October or early November
Road closures Not published November
District Christmas markets Not published October or November

We will update this page as each of those lands.

Sources