A packed crowd turned out as Christmas was officially launched in Lancaster city centre with the traditional lights switch on.
Thousands turned out to enjoy a stage show of live entertainment in Market Square on Sunday afternoon.
The event began as always with the Santa Dash in aid of CancerCare, started by the samba drumming group Samba Espirito.
People dressed as Father Christmas, elves and reindeer, and others wearing Santa hats, took part in a fun run around the city centre.
The stage show was hosted by Greg Lambert from Beyond Radio, with help from the Beyond Radio team.
Performances came from The Performance Studios, the cast of Dick Whittington and his Cat at Lancaster Grand, Razzamataz Theatre School, Tom Woods, the Laura Sandham School of Dance, the Howling Clowns, The Ultimate Dua Lipa, Take That tribute band Rule the World, the Lancaster Priory Choir and C&C Entertainments.
The lights were switched on just after 5.30pm by the Santa Dash's top fundraisers Harper and Issy, with help from Father Christmas and the Beyond Radio team.
The event was organised by Lancaster BID (Business Improvement District), sponsored by Acorn Homes and supported by Lancaster University.
"Lancaster BID would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who attended the Christmas Lights Switch On for making the event such a success," said a Lancaster BID spokesperson.
"Despite narrowly missing Storm Bert, the crowds turned up in their thousands to watch the acts on stage and see the lights in Market Square get turned on. Local businesses were given a welcome boost from the extra visitors coming into the city centre for the event.
"City centre footfall counters showed a week on week increase of +39.7% with the Market Street counter showing the biggest increase with a week on week change of +65.9%.
"We would like to say a big Thank You to Acorn Homes for their headline sponsorship of the Christmas Lights Switch On and to Lancaster University for their support as well as Stagecoach for their generous sponsorship of Christmas in Lancaster. Thanks also to Lancaster City Council for supporting the event with Government Levelling Up Funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
"The BID team would also like to say another huge thank you to everyone who stepped in to rescue the event after the stage, sound and light contractor pulled out with just 10 days to go. Thanks to SJ Bargh, the Melodrome crew, Red Rose Tech, R Leisure, Spartan Scaffolding, Ellie from the Grand Theatre and everyone else who jumped into action to answer our calls for help. It is testament to the community spirit of Lancaster businesses that the BID team were able to implement a fully revised plan within such a short space of time to ensure that Christmas in Lancaster can still be launched in style."
Here are photos from Sunday's event, by Beyond Radio photographer Joshua Brandwood. There are many more at the Beyond Radio Facebook page.
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