Liverpool City Centre lights up for Christmas 2021

Christmas lights will be switched on and decorations unveiled on Friday 12 November as Liverpool city centre prepares for the festive season.

Paperwork Theatre will create a real-life Advent Calendar with their Christmas Countdown, a series of 12 pop up events in the city centre. Taking place at 6pm each evening from Thursday 2 December, the programme is delivered in partnership with Open Culture and Liverpool BID Company, with support from Liverpool Everyman Playhouse and Culture Liverpool. The street events will bring music, dance, theatre, flash mobs and festive joy to the people of the city. Over 60 artists will take part in the events until Thursday 23 December.

Jointly installed and co-funded by Liverpool BID Company and Liverpool City Council, the performances will have a suitably festive backdrop of decorations, column features and baubles across Liverpool city centre.

The city’s traditional 15 metre real Christmas tree returns to Church Street, with its twinkly festive cheer and nativity will be switched on from 25 November.

In Williamson Square the 16 meters high, sparkling LED Christmas tree returns, the perfect location for any festive selfie.

New to Liverpool’s Commercial District in 2021, a 16 metre artificial tree is installed on Old Hall Street.

Two Be An Angel Selfie Stations will be installed, on Castle Street and at Clayton Square. The neon Angels are designed to make the perfect backdrop to any festive photos for shoppers, visitors and Christmas party goers.

At St Johns Shopping Centre, the Elfie Selfie will run across three weekends in December for festive fun. They take place on 4/5, 11/12 and 18/19.

For those wanting to get crafty at Christmas, Metquarter is hosting festive workshops at GPO. From how to make jewellery, Christmas candles, festive lanterns and wreath making, the workshops will be held through December. Booking is advised.

Jennina O’Neill, chair of Retail & Leisure BID and centre manager at Metquarter said:

“The run up to Christmas represents up to 50% of annual trading in the retail and hospitality sectors, so festive animation is not just important for creating festive cheer, it’s part of making the city welcoming, and a place people want to spend their time. It has been a tough year for all of our businesses, as well as the city. Christmas is a time to come together, to spread a little joy.”

Bill Addy is CEO of Liverpool BID Company:

“We’ve seen people steadily return to the city centre over the course of the past quarter and it bodes well for the festive season. We are delighted to be working with Open Culture, Liverpool City Council, along with our partners, on shining a spotlight on our city’s artists, performers and creatives who will be turning our city’s streets into a stage for celebration. We work with Open Culture on LightNight each year, so we know they will bring plenty of joy to everyone across the city centre as we countdown to Christmas”.

Find the whole Christmas programme, and download a festive map route to your phone on the website HERE.