Christmas Events in Bognor Regis

Festive events across Bognor, Aldwick and Felpham

Christmas in Bognor Regis brings a programme of festive events, lights, markets and community celebrations that brighten the darker months and bring the town together. The Christmas season typically begins in late November with the switching on of the town centre lights and continues through December with a series of events leading up to Christmas Day itself.

The Christmas lights switch-on is one of the landmark events of the Bognor calendar. The town centre lights are illuminated in a ceremony that typically includes entertainment, music, a countdown and the appearance of a local celebrity or community figure to press the switch. The event draws crowds to the High Street and marks the official start of the festive season. The lights themselves, strung across the High Street and in the Queensway area, add colour and warmth to the winter streets and make the town centre a more inviting place for evening shopping and socialising.

Christmas markets and fairs appear in various locations across the area during December. These markets offer gifts, crafts, food, decorations and festive items from local stallholders and makers. The atmosphere is convivial, with mulled wine, mince pies and seasonal music contributing to the festive mood. The markets provide an alternative to online shopping and the big chains, offering handmade and locally produced items that have more character and thought behind them.

The Alexandra Theatre at the Regis Centre hosts its annual pantomime, which is one of the most popular Christmas events in the area. The panto draws families from across Bognor, Aldwick, Felpham and beyond, and the tradition of attending the Christmas show is passed from generation to generation. The combination of slapstick, songs, audience participation and theatrical spectacle makes pantomime one of the most accessible and enjoyable forms of live entertainment.

Church services at Christmas are well attended across the area, with carol services, nativity performances, Christingle services and midnight communion all forming part of the December programme. The churches in Bognor, Aldwick and Felpham each have their own Christmas traditions, and the services provide a spiritual and community dimension to the season that complements the commercial celebrations.

Felpham village has its own Christmas events, reflecting its distinct community identity. The village events tend to be smaller and more intimate than the town centre celebrations, with carol singing, village hall events and local fund-raising activities creating a festive atmosphere within the village. The Felpham Christmas events are well supported by the village community and contribute to the sense of belonging that defines the place.

School nativity plays and Christmas concerts are a cherished part of the season for families with children. The primary schools across the area produce nativity performances of varying ambition and polish, and the charm of small children in tea-towel headdresses delivering their lines with more enthusiasm than accuracy is one of the genuine pleasures of the season.

For those spending Christmas in the area, the combination of festive events, the mild coastal climate, the winter light on the sea and the community atmosphere makes Bognor a pleasant place to celebrate the season. Christmas Day walks along the seafront are a local tradition, blowing away the effects of lunch and providing a bracing start to the afternoon.