Is the Festival of Light going ahead this year? Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there is no Festival of Light this year. In previous years, it has been held at both Roker Park and Mowbray Park but in order to keep the public safe, Sunderland City Council cancelled the event.
The annual tradition of Sunderland Illuminations is set to continue this year – but there will be no Festival in Light in 2020 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The nearest stations to Sunderland Illuminations are:
- Fulwell Road-Enid Avenue, Fulwell is 196 meters away, 3 min walk.
- Newcastle Road-Wearmouth Hospital, Monkwearmouth is 538 meters away, 8 min walk.
- Seaburn Metro, Fulwell is 547 meters away, 8 min walk.
Alongside the usual messages of goodwill, each week the lights will star the name of an everyday hero — someone who's gone that extra mile in 2020, to help those affected by the pandemic. The first hero to be awarded the honour was NHS Volunteer Responder, Anis Ali from Morden.
This year's famous illuminations along Oxford Street will be dedicated to the heroes of 2020, with a special new light's display 'To London with Love'. One big difference from previous years is that there will be no big switch-on event and the lights will be turned on about three weeks earlier than usual.
Covent Garden Christmas Lights (November 9, 2020–January 5, 2021, without switch-on ceremony) Some 30,000 festive lights on the tree and about 115,000 lights across the Piazza will be glowing from November 9, 2020, through early January.
The lights were paid for by shop owners and the local council, and were installed in order to give a sense of occasion to shoppers that could not be found anywhere else.
When to see London's Christmas lightsThe majority of London's biggest Christmas light displays are now illuminated and running for 2019 (here's our guide to when the remainder get switched on). They'll be on nightly until early January.
We already dim most lights from 10pm to 5.30am each night. Lights in residential areas are dimmed by 50% power and those on main roads by 25%. We have carried out tests by dimming lights by more than 50% and found they do not function properly and start flickering.
The best Christmas lights in London 2020
- Bond Street.
- Northbank.
- Oxford Street.
- Covent Garden.
- Regent Street.
- Marylebone Village.
- Coal Drops Yard.
- Carnaby Street.
Oxford Street will be pedestrianised by 2020, the mayor of London's office has said. Cars are already banned on most of Oxford Street between 07:00 and 19:00 every day apart from Sunday.
