Bray Christmas Lights Switch-On

Bray’s Town Centre Christmas Lights Switch-On takes place at Civic Plaza on Saturday 21 November 2026 at 4:30pm, marking the official start of the festive season in the town. It is a free, family-oriented gathering rather than a ticketed event, drawing crowds into the town centre for the moment the lights come on.

What to expect

The switch-on itself is a short but well-attended civic moment: a countdown, the lights coming on across Civic Plaza and the surrounding town centre streets, and typically some accompanying entertainment aimed at families, though the exact supporting programme for 2026 had not been published at the time of writing. Events like this are organised with input from Bray & District Chamber of Commerce and local traders, who use the switch-on to kick off the run-up to Christmas trading in the town. Expect a busy town centre on the evening, with shops staying open later than usual and a festive atmosphere building around the plaza.

Good to know

• Date: Saturday, 21 November 2026, 4:30pm
• Venue: Civic Plaza, Bray town centre
• Price: free and open to all
• Arrive a little early if bringing children, as the plaza fills up around the switch-on moment
• Check the Chamber’s channels closer to the date for confirmation of any accompanying entertainment

Getting there

Civic Plaza is in the heart of Bray town centre, a short walk from Bray DART and railway station on the Dublin to Rosslare line. Public car parks around the town centre serve the area, though spaces can be scarce on the evening itself given the crowds.

While you’re in Bray

Bray’s Main Street shops and seafront promenade are both within a few minutes’ walk of Civic Plaza, making it easy to extend the evening into dinner or a stroll along the front. There is more to see in Bray and across Co. Wicklow.