Switching on the Christmas lights is the moment a town centre transforms from the every day into a magical Christmas wonderland. We help councils, BIDs and town centre trusts across the UK turn that moment into a proper event, with acts ranging from our mobile Santa’s Sleigh to festive walkabout characters that get the crowd smiling before the countdown even starts.
If you’re planning a Christmas lights switch-on we’d love to hear from you and help you make the day that bit more magical.
Built for outdoor, crowd-facing events:
A light switch-on is a long, cold evening with a lot to keep moving: the stage act, the countdown, the switch itself, and often fireworks to follow. Roaming entertainment is a perfect pairing with these set pieces, keeping the excitement moving around the main events, and keeping your guests engaged – our acts are built to do just that!
All of our Christmas acts are:
- Mobile, crowd-drawing acts that roam your event and entertain in areas a stage can’t reach.
- Able to perform in most weather and keep the energy up.
- Perfect photo and social opportunities with guests of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents.
- Brightly lit with their own lights – perfect for dark winter evenings!
Whether it’s a small community switch-on or a large town-centre event, our team can recommend the right line-up for your space and budget.
Built for outdoor, crowd-facing events:
A light switch-on is a long, cold evening with a lot to keep moving: the stage act, the countdown, the switch itself, and often fireworks to follow. Roaming entertainment is a perfect pairing with these set pieces, keeping the excitement moving around the main events, and keeping your guests engaged – our acts are built to do just that!
All of our Christmas acts are:
- Mobile, crowd-drawing acts that roam your event and entertain in areas a stage can’t reach.
- Able to perform in most weather and keep the energy up.
- Perfect photo and social opportunities with guests of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents.
- Brightly lit with their own lights – perfect for dark winter evenings!
Whether it’s a small community switch-on or a large town-centre event, our team can recommend the right line-up for your space and budget.
What we need from you (very little):
We understand that with so many moving parts, the last thing you want to be thinking about on the day of your Christmas lights switch-on is the tech requirements of your walkabout acts.
We have constructed all of our Christmas acts with that in mind, designing them to be self-contained and mobile – perfect for interacting with your guests anywhere at your event.
Our requirements will vary slightly per act but the main ones are:
- Parking for one vehicle (generally a van).
- A dry warm changing area where we can take our breaks and leave our belongings whilst performing.
- Water (warm drinks are also always appreciated but not a deal breaker).
Our unique approach to Christmas Entertainment
Megabeast Productions are based primarily in Bristol, but offer our Christmas performances throughout the UK and beyond – so wherever you’re planning your switch-on, we’re never too far away.
Where we really differ is that we build our own acts. Every costume, vehicle and character on our site was designed and crafted in-house by us, drawing on decades of combined experience as working entertainers. That means we’re not simply sending along a generic act or looking to secure a commission, we have a personal and vested interest in making sure your event goes as well as possible. Alternatively if you’ve got a Christmas switch-on act idea nobody else can pull off, we have the workshop to build it for you.
Our featured acts for lights switch-ons
Santa's Sleigh - a fully mobile Santa's Sleigh act
This custom built Santa’s Sleigh is fully electric and safe to cruise around your event.
Perfect for Christmas markets, grottos, shopping centres and Christmas light switch ons.
The Christmas Trees - the perfect Christmas Street Theatre
Our living Christmas trees are a great addition to any Christmas event.
Place them in a static location as a unique way to greet your guests, or have them roam and spread Christmas spirit across your event.
Alternative Festive Acts:
Whilst the above are the acts we would recommend most for any Christmas lights switch-on, these acts are also often booked as part of wider festive celebrations or “magical trails”.
Treemendous - Our Larger than life stilt walking trees
Our incredible larger than life stilt walking trees are the perfect street theatre act for any event or festival with a nature, fantasy, or outdoor theme.
This act is ideal for bringing outdoor spaces to life.
The Golden Birdcage - an Elegant Installation
This beautiful birdcage is the perfect installation for those looking to create a centre piece at an event.
The cage can be set up on any flat piece of land and can host beautiful aerial performers throughout the event.
The Enchanted Roses - a beautiful and graceful street theatre act
These custom crafted rose inspired stilt costumes will quite literally stand our from the crowd.
Perfect for animating any space but particularly events with an outdoor or enchanted garden theme.
What others are saying about our acts:
I really look forward to working with you again!"
How hiring Christmas performers works on the day:
If you’ve never booked roaming entertainment before, here’s how the day runs when you hire us for your switch-on.
1) Arrival
We agree an arrival time in advance – generally one to two hours before the act’s agreed start time, and we can arrive earlier if you need us to. Our artists call you or a designated contact on arrival and ask to be shown to a changing area, then unload the act ready to go. They will likely use this time to confirm any last minute details regarding performance areas or set times, if not confirmed in advance.
2) Preparation
The performers set up and get into costume. This is usually between 15 and 30 minutes (act dependent) before the first performance to make sure we’re ready in plenty of time for the start of their performances.
3) The performance
The fun bit! We generally agree set times or performance slots before the event, but can usually tweak them on the night within reason. We welcome your questions and suggestions – we want you to enjoy it as much as we do.
4) Packdown and goodbyes
Once the performances are done, our team packs down the equipment and, where necessary, coordinate with your event staff to get off-site. We pride ourselves on leaving every event as smoothly as we arrived – and, where possible, we’ll always wave goodbye.
Christmas light switch-ons - FAQ
How far in advance should I book?
Christmas is our busiest season and switch-on dates book up early – November and December slots often start filling from the summer. Get in touch with your date as soon as you can and we’ll confirm availability and hold it for you.
That said – if you have left it to the last minute we usually have the odd day free and will help as best we can!
Do you perform in my city/town?
Whilst we are based in Bristol, we do offer entertainment across the entire UK. You can find travel costs for each of our acts on the relevant act pages, and if you are booking multiple acts from us we will always look to consolidate travel.
How can I hire performers for my Christmas lights switch-on?
You can book our Christmas acts by contacting us through our website or giving us a call to discuss your event. Alternatively you can email us at: info@megabeast.co.uk
You can find our contact details here.
Can the acts work outdoors in cold and rain?
Switch-ons happen outdoors in the UK in November, and our festive acts are built for exactly that. Cold is no problem and a bit of light rain certainly isn’t going to scare us off.
That said, if there is particularly extreme weather (hard rain, snow or wind) we will work with you to adjust performance times or locations to ensure the safety of our performers.
In our 10 years of business we have only ever completely cancelled a performance once – we will always strive to find a way to get you the show you booked!
Are you insured?
Yes – we carry full public liability insurance on every act. We’ll provide our certificate as part of any booking, and an updated copy on request.
Which acts suit a small switch-on versus a large town-centre event?
The Santa’s Sleigh and the Christmas Trees work at almost any scale. For a bigger event we can build a full festive trail around them – adding Treemendous, the Enchanted Roses, and a fire show for after dark. Get in touch with your space and crowd size and we’ll recommend a line-up to fit.
Let's light up your Christmas
Ready to make this year’s switch-on the one everyone remembers? Tell us your date and town centre and we’ll put together the right festive line-up for you.
Reach us at: info@megabeast.co.uk
Or by calling either
John: +44 7872 123 742 or James: +44 7842 128 280