Kingston town centre has no lights switch-on. The borough's is New Malden High Street at 5.30pm on the last Friday of November; 2026 would be 27 November.

Kingston town centre does not hold a Christmas lights switch-on. The borough’s switch-on happens in New Malden, where the High Street lights go on at 5.30pm on the last Friday of November after an afternoon party in Jubilee Square. For 2026 that pattern points to Friday 27 November, but the organisers have not announced it yet.

The quick answer

  • Kingston town centre: no switch-on event. Christmas in Kingston began on 13 November last year with no ceremony.
  • New Malden: party from 3.30pm in Jubilee Square, lights on at 5.30pm, Father Christmas at 5.40pm. Free.
  • 2026 date not yet confirmed. Last year’s was Friday 28 November, announced on 21 October.

New Malden: what happened last year

The switch-on is run by the New Malden Town Centre Partnership as part of its Christmas Party. For Friday 28 November 2025, its programme was:

  • 3.30pm: celebrations start in Jubilee Square, St George’s Square and along the High Street
  • 5.30pm: the Christmas lights are switched on along the High Street
  • 5.40pm: Father Christmas in St George’s Square
  • performers through to about 6.40pm, including the Holly and Ivy stilt walkers, a magician from Bubble Inc, the New Mugs ukulele band, and the Westbury House choir and the Burlington School choir
  • around 20 food, drink and community stalls, including a mulled wine bar run by The Lamb

The partnership describes it as a free, family-friendly event and invites people to come in fancy dress. Its earlier notice gave the hours as 3.30pm to 7pm.

The same pattern goes back further. The partnership’s page for 2023 shows the party on Friday 24 November 2023, with Santa switching the High Street lights on at 5.30pm.

Kingston town centre: no ceremony

Kingston First, the town centre’s business improvement district, runs Christmas in Kingston. Its announcement for 2025, published on 10 November 2025, gave the season as 13 November to 28 December 2025 and stated plainly: “No official light switch-on event”.

What it did list: Kingston’s own Christmas lighting in the town centre streets, festive lights around All Saints Church, a giant reindeer, a new light-up KINGSTON sign, the Christmas tree and the walk-through present.

For 2026, the Christmas market has already confirmed it opens on Thursday 12 November and runs to Sunday 3 January 2027 in the Ancient Market Place. Our Kingston Christmas market page has the hours. Kingston First had not published anything about Christmas 2026 when we checked on 25 September.

Surbiton, Tolworth and Chessington

We found no current organiser page for a switch-on in Surbiton, Tolworth or Chessington. If one is announced we will add it here.

What is still to be confirmed

  • New Malden 2026 date and programme. Last year’s details were posted on the partnership’s site on 21 October, so expect this year’s in late October.
  • Kingston First’s Christmas 2026 plans, likely in early November if it follows last year.

Getting there: see parking in Kingston and Kingston roadworks and travel before driving.

Related: Kingston pantomime, Chessington World of Adventures at Christmas and Kingston Christmas trains.