Newcastle is promising “bigger and better” Christmas and New Year celebrations this winter. Plans in the works for the city’s festive celebrations in 2024 include an expanded Christmas Market and a “spectacular” New Year’s Eve show. City leaders will be asked next week to sign off on funding for the yuletide events, which are thought to have boosted the Tyneside economy by almost £57 million last year.
The main changes to this year’s offer include a larger Christmas Market than in 2023, with stalls and an as-yet-unannounced “unique hospitality offer” set up around Grey’s Monument. Stalls will also be set up along Grainger Street and Grey Street, while Newcastle City Council has also promised a new, free-of-charge, family entertainment area on Old Eldon Square – including a Santa’s grotto and a stage for a series of holiday performances.
A council report ahead of a cabinet meeting next week also teases an “improved, state of the art, spectacular installation and light show for New Years Eve” that will build on the Laser Light City shows staged on the Quayside in recent years.
Newcastle’s Christmas Market & New Year’s Eve Celebrations: A £500,000 Investment
A council is expected to sign off a £500,000 budget to fund festive celebrations. Newcastle City Council's cabinet is due to make the decision on the spending from its cash reserves, with half of the money going to company Newcastle NE1 to help it stage the events. A report prepared ahead of next week's meeting said last year's event had given the Tyneside economy a £57m boost. It added a “key advantage” of providing the programme was to offer “light relief and delight for our residents, helping them through the continuing cost of living crisis”.
A Festive Wonderland for Everyone
Plans for the city’s festive celebrations include an expanded Christmas Market and a New Year’s Eve show, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Documents also refer to an as yet unannounced “unique hospitality offer” set up around Grey’s Monument and a new, free family entertainment area planned on Old Eldon Square.
Councillor Abdul Samad, the Labour council’s cabinet member for culture, said: “It is essential that Newcastle attracts visitors at this time of year, showcasing our fantastic city and supporting the local economy.” He added the market was mainly made up of local traders, meaning the authority was helping businesses maximise their revenue over the festive season.
Rethinking the Christmas Market
Council bosses previously tore up a multi-year contract with a Nottingham-based firm to run the city’s Christmas market. The decision came during uncertainty sparked by the coronavirus pandemic and following complaints from independent Tyneside traders that the 2019 event took vital income away from them.
Stephen Patterson, chief executive of Newcastle NE1, said Christmas was a key period for the city's businesses. “It is essential that cities continue to evolve and change, and never more so than in the golden six weeks before Christmas,” he said.
Planning for Christmas 2024: Dates & Details
The city centre’s Christmas lights switch-on has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, with the Christmas Market running from Saturday, November 16, until Christmas Eve. Full details of the city’s programme of festive events for 2024 and who will be trading at the markets will be announced towards the end of October.
A City Prepared for the Festive Season
Newcastle’s Christmas is growing and improving year on year. These plans are not only transforming the heart of the city into a festive wonderland, but are also benefiting the city in many ways. By providing residents with free and accessible events throughout the year, Newcastle City Council remains committed to adding social value. Newcastle’s Christmas offer provides something for everyone, and opportunities to enjoy time with family and friends. As a major core city, it is also essential that Newcastle attracts visitors at this time of year, showcasing its fantastic city and supporting the local economy. The 2023 Christmas market attracted over 1.375 million visitors to the city, with a total spend of nearly £57million as a direct result of the market. Local businesses are supported and can maximise their revenue during the busy festive period, as the Christmas market, mainly made up of local traders, and Grainger Market remain integral to the city's plans. The council added that 95% of the Christmas market’s traders were local in 2023, and that this “will be mirrored again this year”.
Newcastle: Ready to Celebrate
Newcastle is gearing up for a festive season full of cheer, excitement, and a boost to the local economy. With a larger Christmas Market, a free family entertainment area, and a spectacular New Year's Eve show, Newcastle is poised to become a festive wonderland for both residents and visitors alike. This year’s Christmas celebrations promise to be bigger, better, and brighter than ever before.
