Swansea Council's free annual Christmas Parade returns this Sunday, November 17th from 5pm!

Get ready for the magic of the Swansea Christmas Parade, where Santa will be joining us to switch on the Christmas lights and welcome in the festive season to Swansea.

So how can you best enjoy the parade?

What will be happening?

Swansea’s Christmas Parade will start at 5pm on Sunday, November 17, 2024.

There will be marching bands, colourful floats, festive film characters, Christmas inflatables, light up characters, fireworks and of course, Santa in his sleigh!

What will there be for my child to see?

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See all your favourite princesses and superheroes, be mesmerised by magical light up costumes, and soak up the festive cheer from the hundreds of young people from city community groups who’ve jumped at the chance to be a part of this year’s parade.

You’ll be able to see light-up reindeers, characters from much-loved films and more, all taking to city centre streets as the curtain goes up for the Christmas countdown. And most importantly, see Santa arrive in Swansea and switch on the Christmas lights throughout the city centre!

With returning parade favourites as well as new additions, lights, music, snow machines and Santa himself, get ready to welcome the festive season in style!

New for this year! A breath taking sleigh carved entirely from ice will be unveiled in Castle Square on the day of the parade. This spectacular centrepiece will offer visitors the chance to step inside for a photo, turning the moment into a truly unforgettable experience for families - a perfect snapshot to treasure the festive spirit.

Two large Christmas trees will be lit up – one at the top of Castle Square and one outside The Dragon Hotel.

 

What will the route be?

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The Parade kicks off at 5pm heading to Princess Way, and up towards Castle Square. Here Santa will magically switch on some of the Christmas lights from his sleigh and wave to children big and small! The Parade will then continue up High Street, down Orchard Street and onto The Kingsway, where Santa will switch on the rest of the city centre Christmas lights, before heading down the rest of The Kingsway.

The designated route of the Christmas Parade will be as follows; Victoria Road, Princess Way, Caer Street, Castle Bailey Street, Castle Street, High Street, Orchard Street, The Kingsway.
See the route map here.

Will there be any road closures?

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In order to stage the parade safely, a number of road closures will be in place on the evening of the event. Where possible, closures will be implemented on a rolling basis. Access for emergency will be maintained at all times.

Road Closures

  • East Burrows Road and Somerset Place – 2.00pm to 8.00pm*
  • Bellevue Way – 12noon to 9.00.pm* 

Rolling Road Closures

  • Ferry Side, Bath Lane, Adelaide Street, Victoria Road, Princess Way, Oystermouth Road, Caer Street, Castle Bailey Street, Castle Street, High Street, Alexandra Road, College Street, Orchard Street, Dyfatty Street, Mariner Street, Ebenezer Street, Tontine Street, The Kingsway, Dillwyn Street, Ivy Place, Christina Street, Wellington Street – 3.00pm to 8.00pm*

*Note: These are approximate timings.

More details on parade Parking and Travel here.

How should we get there? What about traffic and parking?

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This year’s parade will start at 5pm, and the city centre is expected to be very busy during the afternoon and throughout the event so it is important to allow plenty of time to arrive.

A number of the car parks will be open but affected by the road closures from around 4-6.30pm. These are: Park Street East, Park Street West, Picton Lane, Pell Street, Oxford Street and Worcester Place.

You can find a full list of city centre car parks them including locations and postcodes at swansea.gov.uk/carparks.

Parking Restrictions

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

  • East Burrows Road, Somerset Place, Princess Way, Caer Street, Castle Bailey Street, Castle Street, High Street, Alexandra Road, College Street, Orchard Street, The Kingsway, Dillwyn Street, Wellington Street, Adelaide Street – 2.00pm to 8.00pm

More details on parade Parking and Travel here.

What about Park and Ride?

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There will be a Park and Ride operating for the Christmas Parade at Fabian Way.

Buses will leave every 15 minutes from 2pm until 5.15pm. After the parade, buses will run continuously until 8pm, more buses will be laid on for the return journey.

Please be aware that traffic will be busy in the City Centre in the build up to the event – if you are planning to use the Park and Rides, please allow plenty of time for travel from the Park and Ride site to the City Centre itself. Please note: the Park and Ride site will be locked overnight. 

Fabian Way Park and Ride 

  • Cost per vehicle – £1 
  • Postcode – SA1 8LD 
  • Open between 2pm and 8pm 
  • Tickets available from Fabian Way Park and Ride ticket machine 
  • Drop off and collection point – Quadrant Bus Station 

More details on parade Parking and Travel here.

What about getting home afterwards?

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Due to the large number of vehicles likely to be leaving the area within a short space of time, traffic is expected to be heavy at the end of the event so please be patient.

If you’re parking in the city centre for the parade, please be aware there may be some delays when leaving the car parks as we wait for the parade to pass by safely. We thank you for your patience.

Accessibility

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There will be loud noises, flashing lights and special effects throughout the Parade – if you need somewhere a bit quieter to enjoy the parade, the lower part of the Kingsway (St. Helen’s Road end) plus the top of High Street and Orchard Street will be the quietest part of the route. Please be aware though that the nature of a parade means that noise and lights will be present throughout. If you have any concerns and want to discuss further, please contact us at 01792 635428. An accessible viewing area will be available on Princess Way and Orchard Street.

No booking required, just turn up on the night.  Accessible toilets and limited seating also available within the viewing areas.

With thanks to

The Childcare offer for Wales for supporting the Christmas Land Train
Childcare offer sponsor

The Childcare Offer for Wales: Help with childcare costs for eligible parents of 3 to 4 year olds.
Do you need help with childcare costs? Under the Childcare Offer for Wales, you could claim up to 30 hours of early education and childcare a week, for up to 48 weeks of the year. This government-funded childcare scheme aims to lessen the burden of childcare costs so that you can spend the money you’ve saved on the things that matter most to your family.
The Offer has already helped parents from all over Wales to return to work, increase their hours or work more flexibly. If you’re looking for a job, or thinking about going back into education or training, but are worried about childcare costs, this support could make all the difference.
Don’t miss out on your share of this childcare funding.
Apply now to receive funded childcare

Morgans Hotel for providing changing rooms for the parade.
Morgans Hotel logo

Day’s Rental & Day’s Motor Group for providing the support vehicle.
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Days Motor Group

Bassets Motor Group Jeep for providing the Lord Mayor's vehicle.

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