Romsey's Christmas lights switch-on is Saturday 21 November 2026 in the town centre, time TBC. Last year it ran 2pm to 8pm with the lights on at 5pm.

Romsey’s Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday 21 November 2026 in the town centre. That date is in Romsey Town Council’s own 2026-27 Mayor’s diary, which lists “Christmas Light Switch On, Romsey Town Centre” with the time still marked TBC.

The quick answer

  • Date: Saturday 21 November 2026, confirmed by Romsey Town Council
  • Time: not yet published
  • Last year: Saturday 22 November 2025, 2pm to 8pm, lights on at 5pm
  • Cost: free
  • Parking: Romsey’s eight council car parks are free after 4pm, but a 2pm arrival on a Saturday means paying until then

What is confirmed for 2026

Only the date and the place. Romsey Town Council’s Mayor’s diary gives:

  • Saturday 21 November 2026: Christmas Light Switch On, Romsey Town Centre, time TBC

The council has not published a programme, a line-up or any road closures for the day. We will add each of those when the council posts them.

It is the Saturday after Andover’s own festival: Andover’s lights go on at 6.30pm on Friday 20 November, so the two towns do not clash. Our Andover Christmas lights page has Andover’s full stage times.

What last year looked like

The 2025 event gives a fair idea of the shape. Visit Test Valley, the borough council’s tourism site, listed Romsey Lights Switch On on Saturday 22 November 2025, from 2pm to 8pm, with “festive fun, live music, Father Christmas, treats” and “the magical moment when the lights will come on at 5pm”.

So if 2026 follows suit, expect an afternoon of entertainment building to a switch-on in the early evening, with the evening running on afterwards. Treat the 5pm as last year’s time, not this year’s.

Getting there and parking

Test Valley Borough Council runs eight pay and display car parks in Romsey: Broadwater Road, Church Road, Newton Lane, Lortemore Place, Crosfield Hall, Princes Road, Alma Road and Romsey Rapids.

  • Charges apply 8.30am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday.
  • Parking is free after 4pm every day, and all day on Sundays.
  • Short and medium stay: £1 for up to 2 hours, £2 for 3 hours, £3 for 4 hours, £4 for 5 hours, £5.90 all day.
  • Long stay (Princes Road, Alma Road): the same up to 5 hours, £4.40 all day.
  • Romsey Rapids: free for up to 4 hours Monday to Saturday, £2.10 beyond that.
  • Blue Badge holders park free in any car park that allows all-day parking.

If you only want the switch-on and it is at a similar time to last year, a car parked after 4pm costs nothing. Romsey Rapids is the cheapest option for an afternoon visit.

More Christmas near Romsey

What is still to come

  • The switch-on time and programme from Romsey Town Council.
  • Road closures for the day, which the council posts on its road closures page.

This page was checked against Romsey Town Council’s and Test Valley Borough Council’s own published material on 29 September 2026 and will be updated when the programme is out.

Sources