When the Christmas lights will be switched on in Cookstown, Magherafelt, Maghera, Dungannon and Coalisland

Cookstown’s big switch-on activities will be on Friday, November 24, from 6.30pm to 8pm when William Street comes alive with festive fun and entertainment.

Stewartstown Panto, Tullylagan Pipe Band and Double Whiskeys will be on hand to get everyone in the Christmas mood and a fantastic Showstoppers Parade will add to the fun of the lighting up countdown by Santa.

There will be on-street entertainment from 6.30pm to 8pm including face painting, The Gaming Bus, and character walkabouts which will be perfect for those Christmas selfies. The Christmas lights switch-on will take place at approximately 7.25pm.

There will be road diversions will be in place on William Street from 5pm to 9.15pm.

Magherafelt

Magherafelt, meanwhile, will light up for Christmas on Saturday.

Market Square and Broad Street, Magherafelt will be the centre of the festive fun from 2pm to 8pm.

Market Street will be the site of a brand new children's Christmas Village where youngsters can enter into the magic of the season, with a variety of children's shows, crafts and activities taking place. There'll be lots of entertainment provided on stage by local groups and schools to help things go with a swing.

A Christmas street Party on Broad Street from 6.30pm to 8pm will get everyone into the Christmas spirit before Santa arrives at 7.30pm to switch on the lights. A firework display will round off the fun from 7.35pm.

Road diversions will be in place in the following areas:

• Market Street closure – Friday, November 24 from 6.30pm – Sunday, November 26 at 1.00am
• Broad Street closure – Saturday, November 25 from 4pm – 10pm.
• Queen Street / Lawrences Square closure – Saturday, November 25 from 6pm – 9.30pm.

All-inclusive toilets and changing facilities are available at the Bridewell. Disabled parking will be available throughout the town centre carparks. The event area is accessible for wheelchair users and adequate drop kerbs/ramps for footpath access. There is an accessible viewing area in Market Street. A minimum of two stewards will be positioned at all times at entry and exit points in Market Street for any assistance needed.

Dungannon

In Dungannon, the seasonal switch-on will take place in Dungannon on Saturday, November 25, from 6pm to 8pm.

Family-focused festive fun will take place in Market Square from 6pm including music from on-stage DJ, a special preview of Bardic Theatre's 'Cinderella' and a sing-a-long with the Snow Sisters. There will also be the chance to meet Spiderman along with other festive characters.

Also on offer will be free drop-in arts and crafts, facepainting and caricature artist sessions in Ranfurly House.

The arrival of Santa and the Christmas lights switch-on will take place from approximately 7.50pm.

After the switch on, Dungannon Film Club is having a special screening of 'It's A Wonderful Life' in The Space, starting at 8.30pm (£2 entry fee).

Motorists are advised that the Market Square car park will be closed from 5.30pm to 8.30pm with diversions in place during this time.

Disabled parking will be available in the Dungannon town centre car parks The event area is accessible for wheelchair users with drop kerbs and footpath access. A minimum of two stewards will be positioned at all times at entry and exit points in Market Square for any assistance needed.

Maghera

Maghera’s Walled Garden and town centre will come alive with seasonal cheer on Saturday, December 2 from 3pm to 6pm.

From 3pm to 5pm, you can meet Santa in the potting shed in the walled garden and be entertained as you stroll around the garden.

Please note that you will need to pre-book one of the free tickets available via the council’s Eventbrite page. Each ticket is for one group/family to meet Santa (maximum of six people per group/ticket).

From 3pm to 5pm, craft sessions for Christmas will be held in the Lurach Centre, where all the family can make a Christmas badge, write their letter to Santa and post it in the Walled Garden post box, make a Christmas decoration or special reindeer food, or enjoy face painting.

This year, Santa will leave from Fairhill carpark at 5.30pm to make his way to Hall Street for the switch-on event taking place at the St. Lurach's Road junction. The lights will illuminate at 5.45pm.

There will be a temporary road closure in place from 5pm to 6.30pm from Fairhill Road to Hall Street. Main Street will remain open during the event. If travelling through Maghera at the time of the switch-on itself, motorists should be prepared for a short delay in coming through town.

Disabled parking spaces are available at the bottom of the lane on Church Street and in the town centre car parks. Maghera Walled Garden has flat surfaces and paths that accommodate wheelchair access. The Lurach Centre has public toilets, included disabled access. In addition a disabled toilet is located in the Walled Garden. Baby changing facilities will be available in the Lurach Centre​. ​A minimum of two stewards will be positioned at all times at entry and exit points in the Walled Garden, the Lurach Centre and on Hall Street for any assistance needed.

Coalisland

Coalisland’s festive lights and seasonal fun will take place at theCornmill Heritage Centre and car park on Sunday, December 3 from 5pm to 7pm.

From 5pm to 6.30pm, there'll be free face painting, the opportunity to take a selfie with festive characters, or to meet Santa in his grotto.

Craic Theatre will knock your Christmas socks off on stage from 5pm to 7pm, with live music from the resident DJ and live band. Characters from Craic Theatre will be making an appearance on stage too.

The Christmas Lights switch-on will take place at approximately 6.50pm.

There are no road closures planned for this event.

The event area is accessible for wheelchair users.