Swansea Christmas Parade and Lights Switch On

Swansea is decking its streets with festive spirit as the Swansea Christmas Parade returns on Sunday 19th November 2023! This annual spectacle transforms the city centre into a winter wonderland, complete with an extravaganza of colour, music, and dance. It’s not just about the eye-catching floats and the joyous music; it’s a chance to see the city come alive in a way you’ve never seen before.

Imagine light-up reindeers, tractors, and a cavalcade of musicians alongside characters from beloved films, all parading down the city streets. It’s a scene straight out of a Christmas card, with the added thrill of Santa Claus himself making a grand entrance to switch on the twinkling lights across the city centre.

The parade promises an array of entertainment, with dancers, bands, choirs, and floats adding to the festive atmosphere. Inflatables, light-up characters, princesses, superheroes – they’re all part of the lineup, ensuring there’s something to captivate every member of the family. And of course, the main man, Santa, will be sprinkling his festive magic throughout, officially bringing the Christmas lights to life as the evening sky darkens.

From 5pm, the city will be abuzz with excitement. See all your favourite fairy tales, princesses and caped crusaders, be dazzled by enchanting light-up costumes, and bask in the festive cheer emanating from the throngs of young participants from local community groups who are eager to be part of this year’s parade.

And for that extra sprinkle of Christmas magic, two large Christmas trees will be illuminated—one reigning over Castle Square. While the parade is a sensory feast of loud noises, flashing lights, and special effects, those who prefer a quieter experience can find solace towards the lower part of Kingsway or the top of High Street and Orchard Street, which will be the calmest areas of the route.

The Swansea Christmas Parade Route

The parade starts from around Waterfront Winterland at 5pm and will then head along Oystermouth Road before heading along Princess Way towards Castle Square.  Here, Santa will stop to switch on some of the Christmas lights and wave to the children.

The parade will then continue up High Street, down Orchard Street and onto the Kingsway where Santa will make his second stop to turn on the remainder of the city centre lights around before heading down to the end of the Kingsway.

Parking

There’s quite a few City Centre council car parks local to this parade and you can find a full list of them here

Other car parks that although open will be affected by the road closures for the event between 4pm and approximately 6.30pm include:

• Park Street East car park (SA1 3DJ)
• Park Street West car park (SA1 3DF)
• Picton Lane car park (SA1 3BG)
• Pell Street car park (SA1 3ES)
• Oxford Street car park (SA1 3AZ)
• Worcester Place car park (SA1 1HY)

Parking Restrictions

For safety, security and to aid traffic movement in the area some roads will need to be kept free of parked vehicles and therefore there will be parking restrictions and a vehicle tow-away operation taking place on these roads;

Somerset Place, Wind Street, Castle Bailey Street, Castle Street, High Street, Alexandra Road, College Street, Orchard Street, The Kingsway, Dillwyn Street, Wellington Street – between 2.00pm to 8.00pm

Road Closures

For safety reason a few road closures will be in place on the evening of the event and here is all the details of what you can expect.

Once the parade starts there will be a rolling road closures, diversions and parking restrictions in place on the actual parade route along: Wind Street, Castle Bailey Street, Castle Street, High Street, Alexandra Road, College Street, Orchard Street, The Kingsway, Dillwyn Street and Wellington Street from around 4pm until 8pm

Don’t let this magical evening pass you by! Click the ‘Add to Calendar’ button at the top of the page to lock in this festive highlight.

For those enchanted by the Christmas spirit and seeking more, our ‘What’s on in West Wales‘ page is your sleigh ride to the best local, family-friendly Christmas events. With a simple click on our internal hyperlink, you’ll find a stocking’s worth of festivities to keep the holiday cheer going.

The Swansea Christmas Parade is a dazzling display of community and celebration, a sparkling event that wraps the city in yuletide joy. So, mark your calendars, gather your festive scarves, and get ready for an evening where Swansea shines its brightest. It’s a seasonal showcase that’s become a beloved part of the local Christmas tradition.