A new Christmas Lights Switch-on in Kendal will see the event team up with the town’s famous Mountain Festival and Dark Skies Cumbria for a joint celebration of light and dark.

residents are invited to the Mountain Festival Basecamp, at Abbott Hall Park, for welcome films from 5pm on November 17.

A colourful family parade, led by a band and stilt-walkers, will leave the festival’s basecamp soon after, winding its way along Waterside and up into Market Place.

Father Christmas and his sleigh will be in attendance as will Amabile Choir singing beautiful carols before the Mayor of Kendal turns on the lights when the parade arrives in Market Place.

But this year, in another new twist, the Market Place lights will also be momentarily dimmed as the Cumbria Dark Skies team will demonstrate the importance of creating dark skies for the wellbeing of all.