Christmas in Reading

Christmas in Reading kicks off on 14 November, and it's less a single event than a whole season that runs through to 3 January. The starting gun is the annual Light Switch On on the 14th, a night of live music and a light display that celebrates the town's cultural heritage. That same evening, The Hexagon hosts Step Into Christmas at 19:30.

From there, the festive programme spreads across the town. Reading Rep Theatre puts on A Christmas Carol from 19 November to 3 January, and The Hexagon brings back the panto with Aladdin from 5 December to 3 January. There's also John Otway & His Band's annual Christmas Knees Up, and the Bach to Baby Christmas Family Concert plays twice, on 1 and 14 December, both at 4.00pm. For something a bit slower, the Reading Snow Window Trail runs from 26 November to 24 December.

Much of the arts side is run by Reading Arts and Venues, which manages the town's three main venues on behalf of Reading Borough Council: The Hexagon, South Street Arts Centre, and The Concert Hall at the Town Hall. The programme mixes those traditional fixtures with theatre, comedy, carol concerts and family activities. The Christmas markets set up on Broad Street and at Reading Town Hall are part of that, and every December weekend the town centre has free family events with festive stilt-walkers, character visits and Father Christmas.

So if you're looking for something to do, you've got the Light Switch On on 14 November to get things started, Step Into Christmas at The Hexagon that same night at 19:30, and the rest of the programme running through to 3 January.