It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! On the eve of Tuesday 13 November 2012, Regent Street lit up, as the athletes from Team GB and ParalympicGB pushed the button and switched on the Christmas Lights, for their final golden moment of 2012. A magical evening of classical music, Christmas tunes and festive cheer, the star-studded event marked the beginning of the season of goodwill.
Laced in Christmas lights of a brand new theme this year, Regent Street celebrates the 12 Days of Christmas. The lights (decorated with gold holly and red berry garlands) run the entire length of Regent Street, from Oxford Circus all the way down to Piccadilly Circus, before continuing south down Regent Street in St James’s.
The lights switched on with a bang this November as Olympic long jump gold medallist Greg Rutherford, gold medallist rower Helen Glover and Paralympic cycling couple Sarah and Barney Storey, along with another 40 athletes pushed the big red button, unleashing fireworks into the night sky and lighting up Regent Street.
Accompanying the team of Olympians for an evening of entertainment were revered Classic FM presenters John Suchet and Jamie Crick. Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas themed lights, a choral rendition of the festive favourite kicked off the evening in true Regent Street style. Plus, a packed line-up of performances from the best of the classical crowd wowed audiences before the big switch-on. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s cast from award-winning musical, Matilda, trumpet soloist Tine Thing Helseth, the all-female classical (and rather stylish) quintet The Masques, and renowned operatic tenor, Noah Stewart, took to the stage to mark the beginning of the festive season.
For your chance to see the 12 Days of Christmas lights in all their glory, head to Regent Street and get started on that Christmas shopping list.