IGNITE Fire Festival (& Christmas Lights Switch On)

Switch-On

Firestarters Street theatre and interactive arts group Travelling Light Circus will be returning too for more mesmerising performances.

Date: Friday, 22 November 2024

Location: Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AZ

Cost: Free entry.

Food and drink will be available to buy from traders on The Esplanade.

Time: 5pm - 8pm

About this event

Friday–Sunday, 22–24 November 2024. Ignite Fire Festival will be transforming the gardens opposite Rochdale Town Hall for 3 evenings, with more dazzling displays and activities for all the family.

• Who is this event suitable for? For all ages.
• Do I need to book? No, you can just turn up.
• Contact: admin@rochdalecreates.co.uk
• Directions: Get directions to this event on Google Maps
• Event organiser: Rochdale Borough Council in partnership with Walk the Plank and Culture Co-op.

Fiery displays, blazing sculptures and illuminated installations created by artists and pyro technicians from multi-award winning outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank will be open to walk through from 5pm to 8pm each evening, with the Christmas lights switch-on taking place on Sunday, 24 November 2024.

Fiery displays, blazing sculptures and illuminated installations will be lighting the way at Ignite Fire Festival. (Photograph courtesy Walk the Plank)

A free immersive experience for all ages, Ignite will feature bubbling goblets of fire and a daisy chain of flaming flowers, alongside sculptures that twist, flap or erupt with balls of fire. Walking through the gardens visitors will also get to see a fire bird with blazing eyes, 2 smaller birds gently circling a flaming nest and other delights. Look out for ‘In the Balance’ - a seemingly impossible counter-balance of steel and fire, with rotating globes of flame, one of the highlights of this year’s event.

Each evening, a fire drawing designed and made by local residents will be ignited alongside flaming hot performances from some of the north’s top talent including Flame Oz, Bring the Fire Project, Astro Aliens, Fireman Dave and Rochdale’s Skylight Circus Arts. Street theatre and interactive arts group Travelling Light Circus who got a fantastic reception from the crowds last year will be returning too. Also back for 2024 is ‘Drum Machine’ – a 20 strong drumming collective, who’ll be bringing their techno infused beats to the event.

There will also be hot food, mulled wine and other seasonal drinks available to buy.

The countdown to Christmas begins in Rochdale in November 2024 with the return of an extended version of the spectacular Ignite Fire Festival leading up to the festive lights switch-on.

Christmas lights switch-on – Sunday, 24 November 2024

Father Christmas and his special guests, including the Mayor of Rochdale Councillor Shakil Ahmed will officially switch-on the lights at 5.30pm on Sunday, 24 November 2024 in front of the town hall after the traditional countdown, whilst the Ignite Fire Festival continues in the gardens opposite until 8pm.

Ignite is organised by Rochdale Borough Council in partnership with Walk the Plank and Culture Co-op, a ‘Creative People and Places’ programme, funded by Arts Council England.

Getting to the Ignite Fire Festival

• How to get to Rochdale Town Hall

Event sponsor

Ignite - Fire Festival and Rochdale Christmas Lights Switch-On is sponsored by The Trade Centre UK, the region’s largest car supermarket.