Daft as a Brush has confirmed the date for its 2026 Christmas lights switch-on in Newcastle, with the display set to illuminate at 6pm on Friday, November 13. The Gosforth-based charity, which provides services to cancer patients throughout the year, is known for its elaborate festive displays that draw large crowds annually.
Festive season approaches in the North East
After a summer that saw temperatures in the North East peak in the early 30s, the region is now experiencing cooler conditions, with darkness falling shortly after 6pm. The clocks go back next weekend, making the evenings feel even more autumnal, and with Christmas Day just over two months away, the festive season is increasingly on the horizon.
The date for the Daft as a Brush switch-on adds to previously confirmed Christmas light events in Newcastle city centre and Morpeth, the latter coinciding with the Rutherford's window reveal. Last year, in mid-November, families gathered at Daft as a Brush HQ, a short distance from Gosforth high street, to see the building covered in twinkling lights.
Free display and community reaction
The light display is free to view every year and is switched on between 5.30pm and 7.30pm in the run-up to December 25. Last year, photos of the display shared in the Beautiful Britain group on Facebook, which has 1 million members, were seen by many people within a few hours.
Reacting to the photos, one group member commented: "Absolutely stunning" while another responded: "Oh ill need to bring the kids to this, they'll love it. Looks amazing!!"
