London Today Regent Street Christmas lights switch-on 2026
Regent Street and St James's, London · Organised by Regent Street
Regent Street's announcement Add to calendar
- Dates
- 5 Nov 2026
- Time
- 17:00 – 21:00
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Format
- In person
- Organiser
- Regent Street
The angels are coming back. Regent Street's Spirit of Christmas lights, the great winged figures it calls Spirits, have hung over the street since 2016, and they are switched on on Thursday 5 November 2026.
Where the angels come from
Regent Street was the first place in central London to put up Christmas lights, in 1954, and the Spirits are drawn from that year's design: traditional angels playing trumpets, here without the trumpets. They were made by James Glancy Design with The Crown Estate, each one a hand-made sculpture built in London.
The switch-on evening
For the occasion Regent Street closes to traffic from 5pm to 9pm, so the lights can be looked at from the middle of the road rather than a crowded pavement. The street promises entertainment for the whole family and an evening of in-store experiences, treats and offers from its shops, restaurants and bars, across Regent Street and St James's.
What's new
The angels are the same, but Regent Street promises a new twist for 2026, with new details to discover. It has not said yet what they are.
More to come
Regent Street says more details of the evening will follow on its website and social channels.
It is a Thursday, so the four traffic-free hours run into the end of the working day in the West End. The empty road is the point of the evening: Regent Street is closed to traffic from 5pm to 9pm on the 5th only, and on the nights that follow the angels are seen from the pavement.
Regent Street and St James's on the map
Regent Street Christmas lights switch-on 2026: questions
When are the Regent Street Christmas lights switched on in 2026?
Thursday 5 November 2026.
Is Regent Street closed to traffic for the switch-on?
Yes, from 5pm to 9pm on 5 November.
What are the Regent Street lights?
The Spirit of Christmas: large angel figures, the Spirits, hung along Regent Street every Christmas since 2016 and drawn from the street's first Christmas lights of 1954. Regent Street says the 2026 display has some new details.
Source: Regent Street checked against the source
