Devon Christmas Lights, Markets & Events 2026: Dates & Locations

Christmas in Devon brings together town-centre light switch-ons, Christmas markets, illuminated attractions and festive events across the county, from Exeter and Plymouth to North Devon, the English Riviera and smaller towns and villages.

Looking for Christmas lights, markets and festive events in Devon in 2026?

Towns and villages across the county celebrate the run-up to Christmas with light switch-ons, lantern parades, Christmas markets, late-night shopping and illuminated attractions throughout November and December.

This independent guide brings together confirmed Devon Christmas events for 2026, including Christmas lights in Plymouth, Brixham, Sidmouth, Newton Abbot, Seaton and Bideford, alongside Candlelit Dartmouth, festive markets and some of the county’s best-known Christmas light trails and seasonal days out.

Dates are added as councils, attractions and organisers confirm their 2026 programmes, so bookmark this page if you are planning Christmas in Devon.

For more festive ideas, explore our detailed guides:

• Christmas in Exeter 2026 – markets, lights and events
• What’s On in South West England
• What’s On in Devon this Weekend

If your town, village or event is missing, we would love to hear from you. You can submit an event for free to our What’s On Calendar.

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🎄 Devon Christmas Light Switch-On Events 2026

🌟 Plymouth City Centre Christmas Lights Switch-On

Thursday 12 November 2026
Where: The Piazza, Armada Way, Plymouth

Plymouth City Centre Christmas Lights Switch-On is one of the first major Devon Christmas events of the season.

The 2026 switch-on takes place on Thursday 12 November at the Piazza on Armada Way, marking the start of the city’s festive celebrations.

Further details of the entertainment programme and precise switch-on time are due to be announced closer to the event.

Plymouth traditionally holds a separate Christmas lights celebration around the Barbican and Sutton Harbour. The 2026 date will be added here once the organisers have confirmed it.

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🏮 Brixham – Lanterns, Lights & ‘Luminations

Friday 20 to Saturday 21 November 2026
Where: Brixham town centre and harbour

Lanterns, Lights & ‘Luminations returns to Brixham for two days of Christmas celebrations around the harbour and town centre.

The programme includes a colourful lantern parade, Christmas lights switch-on, street market, live music and family entertainment, followed by a fireworks display over the harbour.

The market is scheduled to run from 4 pm to 7 pm on Friday and from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday.

Brixham is particularly atmospheric after dark, when the harbour lights combine with the town’s Christmas displays and illuminated boats.

If you’re visiting from further afield, this is one of the Devon Christmas events that can easily be turned into a weekend break around Brixham and the wider English Riviera.

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✨ Sidmouth Christmas Lights Switch-On & Late Night Shopping

Saturday 21 November 2026
Where: Market Place, Sidmouth

Sidmouth Christmas Lights Switch-On & Late Night Shopping takes place in Market Place on Saturday 21 November.

The lights are scheduled to be switched on at 5.30 pm, with shops remaining open late as part of an evening organised with Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce.

The event runs from 5.30 pm to 8 pm.

A second late-night shopping evening is planned for Friday 4 December.

👉 You may also like to read our Sidmouth Travel Guide.

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🎅 Newton Abbot Christmas Lights Switch-On

Saturday 21 November 2026, 12 noon to 6 pm
Where: Newton Abbot town centre and St Leonard’s Clock Tower

Newton Abbot Christmas Lights Switch-On brings a full afternoon of entertainment, street food, craft stalls and free activities for children to the town centre.

The festivities culminate at St Leonard’s Clock Tower, where Father Christmas will switch on Newton Abbot’s Christmas lights.

The event runs from 12 noon until 6 pm and is free to attend.

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🧜 Candlelit Dartmouth

Friday 27 to Saturday 28 November 2026
Where: Royal Avenue Gardens and Dartmouth town centre

Candlelit Dartmouth brings two days of festive celebrations to one of South Devon’s most attractive waterfront towns.

The programme includes a lantern procession, live music and a seasonal market in Royal Avenue Gardens, with the town’s Christmas lights adding to the atmosphere.

Father Christmas is also set to arrive by fire engine.

The combination of independent shops, pubs, restaurants and the historic waterfront makes Candlelit Dartmouth particularly easy to combine with a winter day out or weekend away.

👉 You may also like to read our Dartmouth Travel Guide.

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🧜 Seaton Christmas Light Switch-On and Christmas Market

Saturday 28 November 2026
Where: Seaton town centre

Seaton Christmas Light Switch-On and Christmas Market combines the town’s festive illuminations with an independent Christmas market and an afternoon of family entertainment.

The Christmas market opens at 12 noon, with the official Christmas lights celebrations beginning at 4 pm.

Father Christmas, family activities, carol singing and late-night shopping are also planned.

👉 You may also like to read our Seaton Travel Guide.

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🎄 Bideford Christmas Lights Switch-On

Sunday 29 November 2026
Where: Bideford Quay

Bideford Christmas Lights Switch-On launches the festive season on the town’s historic Quay.

The event is expected to include live entertainment, music, seasonal food and drink, family activities and Christmas market stalls before the town’s Christmas lights are illuminated.

The waterfront setting makes this one of North Devon’s larger community Christmas celebrations.

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🛍️ Devon Christmas Markets and Festive Events 2026

Where to find Christmas events in Devon: Exeter and Plymouth host some of the county’s largest city-centre Christmas programmes, while the English Riviera combines Brixham’s switch-on celebrations with illuminated attractions in Torquay and Paignton. North Devon highlights include RHS Glow at Rosemoor and Bideford’s Christmas lights, while East Devon towns such as Sidmouth and Seaton hold traditional community celebrations.

Christmas in Devon extends well beyond town-centre light switch-ons. November and December bring Christmas markets, illuminated gardens, festive railway journeys and seasonal events at attractions across the county, making many of the events below suitable for a full festive day out or winter weekend away.

For an even more comprehensive shopping-focused roundup, see our guide to the best Christmas markets in Devon.

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🎁 Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market

13 November to 13 December 2026

Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market returns to Cathedral Green for a month of festive shopping, food and drink beneath Exeter Cathedral.

More than 100 festive chalets are planned for 2026, with crafts, gifts, jewellery, West Country produce, street food and seasonal drinks among the attractions.

Entry is free. The market opens from 10 am Monday to Saturday and 11 am on Sundays, with later evening opening until 9 pm from Thursday to Saturday.

We know Exeter well and have visited the Christmas Market ourselves. Its Cathedral Green setting is particularly atmospheric after dark, and the central location makes it easy to combine with Exeter’s Christmas lights, independent shops, Cathedral, Guildhall and other city-centre attractions.

👉 For parking, Park and Ride, opening times, the best time to visit and our first-hand tips, see our complete Exeter Christmas Market 2026 guide.

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🎁 Buckfast Abbey Christmas Market, Buckfastleigh

26 to 28 November 2026

Buckfast Abbey Christmas Market returns for three days of festive shopping within the Abbey grounds.

Decorated stalls showcase handcrafted gifts, artisan products, winter clothing, Christmas decorations and seasonal food and treats, with festive entertainment adding to the atmosphere.

The market is open from 10 am to 5 pm each day.

Entry and visitor parking are free, although the Abbey advises that the event can become extremely busy, so allow additional time for parking during peak periods.

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🎁 Christmas Shopping Fayre, Westpoint Exeter

27 to 29 November 2026

The Christmas Shopping Fayre at Westpoint Exeter brings hundreds of exhibitors together for three days of festive shopping.

Expect gifts, crafts, decorations, seasonal food and a wide mix of independent traders under one roof.

The indoor setting makes it a useful Christmas event whatever the November weather, while free parking is available at Westpoint.

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🚂 Christmas Train of Lights, Dartmouth Steam Railway

27 November to 30 December 2026

The Christmas Train of Lights returns to the Dartmouth Steam Railway for illuminated steam train journeys between Paignton and Kingswear.

Thousands of lights, animated displays, festive scenes and music transform the railway’s coastal route through Torbay and alongside the River Dart.

The experience departs from Queen’s Park Station in Paignton and is designed to be enjoyed from aboard the train.

This is one of Devon’s most popular Christmas attractions, so booking is strongly recommended, particularly on weekends and in the lead-up to Christmas.

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🎁 Lupton House Christmas Fayre, near Brixham

Saturday 28 to Sunday 29 November 2026

Lupton House Christmas Fayre brings festive stalls, seasonal food and drink, cakes and family activities to the historic house near Brixham.

Father Christmas will be visiting throughout the weekend, and the house cafe will also be open for refreshments.

The fayre runs from 10 am to 4 pm each day, with £1 cash admission and free on-site parking.

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🎄 1940s Christmas at Greenway, near Brixham

Weekends from 21 November to 20 December and daily 27 to 31 December 2026

Christmas at Greenway takes Agatha Christie’s former holiday home back to the 1940s.

The displays are inspired by the true story of children evacuated from London to Greenway during the Second World War.

The house is decorated in a “make do and mend” style with handmade decorations, period-inspired presents and Christmas trees, while families can follow a teddy bear trail through the winter garden.

Greenway is open from 11 am to 4 pm on event days and normal National Trust admission applies.

Visitors arriving by car need to reserve a parking space in advance.

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✨ A Very Miniature Christmas, Babbacombe Model Village

21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, selected dates

A Very Miniature Christmas brings seasonal scenes, music and thousands of Christmas lights to Babbacombe Model Village in Torquay.

Children can follow a Christmas character trail to find miniature Santas and elves, while admission also includes access to the indoor attractions and nine-hole crazy golf.

Illuminations begin from 3.30 pm on selected days.

Arriving while it is still light gives visitors a chance to explore the miniature scenes by day before the gardens illuminate after dark.

The attraction is closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 January.

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✨ RHS Glow at RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington

Selected dates from 27 November to 30 December 2026

RHS Glow at RHS Garden Rosemoor transforms the gardens near Great Torrington with colourful illuminations, music and glowing displays.

The light trail runs after dark, offering one of North Devon’s larger Christmas illumination experiences.

Glow runs from 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm, with timed arrivals and last entry to the trail at 7.15 pm.

Christmas craft fairs are also planned for 27 to 29 November and 5 to 6 December, with silent disco evenings on 11 and 12 December.

Booking is required.

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🔆 Torquay, Paignton and the English Riviera at Christmas

Christmas around Torbay extends well beyond a traditional town-centre switch-on.

Brixham’s Lanterns, Lights & ‘Luminations provide one of the area’s major Christmas weekends, while Torquay and Paignton host illuminated attractions and festive events throughout the season.

A Very Miniature Christmas at Babbacombe Model Village runs on selected dates from 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, while the Dartmouth Steam Railway’s Christmas Train of Lights runs from 27 November to 30 December.

The wider Bay of Lights celebrations also bring Christmas illuminations to the English Riviera during the festive season.

With events concentrated around Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, the English Riviera is one of the easiest parts of Devon in which to combine several Christmas attractions during the same weekend.

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Christmas Light Switch-On and Event Dates Still to Be Announced

Several Devon towns that held Christmas light switch-ons, markets and festive celebrations in 2025 have not yet published confirmed details for 2026.

We’re watching for announcements from Axminster, Barnstaple, Bovey Tracey, Budleigh Salterton, Crediton, Cullompton, Dawlish, Exmouth, Honiton, Ilfracombe, Ivybridge, Kingsbridge, Okehampton, Ottery St Mary, South Molton, Tavistock, Teignmouth, Tiverton, Topsham and Totnes.

Previous events have included Christmas markets, lantern parades, late-night shopping, live music, Father Christmas visits and family entertainment.

We’ll move each town into the confirmed listings above once its 2026 programme is published.

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When are the Exeter Christmas lights switched on in 2026?

Exeter is slightly different from many Devon towns because in recent years it has not held a single traditional city-centre Christmas lights switch-on event.

Instead, Christmas lights and decorations form part of the city’s wider festive programme, alongside Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market and other seasonal events.

For a more detailed look at the city during the festive season, see our guide to Christmas in Exeter, which covers Christmas markets, lights, shopping, and seasonal events.

We’ll update this section when Exeter’s full 2026 Christmas lighting programme is confirmed.

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Planning a Christmas Day Out in Devon

Christmas light switch-ons are among Devon’s busiest free community events, particularly when they coincide with Christmas markets, late-night shopping or weekend celebrations.

Town-centre roads may close temporarily, and parking can become busy around the main switch-on time. If you’re travelling specifically for an event, check the organiser’s latest information before setting out, particularly for timings, parking, road closures and weather-related changes.

For a larger festive day out, events such as Candlelit Dartmouth and Brixham’s Lanterns, Lights & ‘Luminations combine Christmas lights with markets and entertainment, while attractions including RHS Glow, the Christmas Train of Lights and Babbacombe Model Village provide longer evening experiences.

If you’re travelling from further afield, Dartmouth, Brixham and the English Riviera are particularly easy to combine with a winter weekend away.

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Add Your Devon Christmas Event

This guide is based on information published by councils, chambers of commerce, attractions, tourism organisations and event organisers.

Devon has many smaller village Christmas markets, community light switch-ons and festive events that may not yet have announced their 2026 dates.

If you’re organising an event we have missed, you can submit it free of charge to our What’s On Calendar:

👉 Submit a South West England event

We’ll continue adding confirmed events as programmes are announced.

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Devon Christmas Events 2026 in Date Order

Plymouth City Centre Christmas Lights Switch-On – 12 November

Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market – 13 November to 13 December

Lanterns, Lights & ‘Luminations, Brixham – 20 to 21 November

Sidmouth Christmas Lights Switch-On & Late Night Shopping – 21 November

Newton Abbot Christmas Lights Switch-On – 21 November

A Very Miniature Christmas, Babbacombe Model Village – 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, selected dates

1940s Christmas at Greenway – weekends 21 November to 20 December, plus 27 to 31 December

Buckfast Abbey Christmas Market – 26 to 28 November

Candlelit Dartmouth – 27 to 28 November

Christmas Shopping Fayre, Westpoint Exeter – 27 to 29 November

Christmas Train of Lights, Dartmouth Steam Railway – 27 November to 30 December

RHS Glow at RHS Garden Rosemoor – 27 November to 30 December, selected dates

Seaton Christmas Light Switch-On and Christmas Market – 28 November

Lupton House Christmas Fayre – 28 to 29 November

Bay of Lights, English Riviera – 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027

Bideford Christmas Lights Switch-On – 29 November

More dates will be added as Devon’s 2026 Christmas programmes are confirmed.

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Dates and details are, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time of writing. Always check with organisers before travelling.

Over to you … have you recently travelled to South West England? What worked for you? What advice would you give to others? Please leave your comments below or join in the discussion in our Facebook Group.