St James Quarter will switch on the Christmas lights today

Later today there will be a parade through Edinburgh’s city centre.
St James Quarter will unveil an ensemble of sparkling lights, unexpected live performances and family fun this festive season.

The Christmas Parade will feature a vibrant cast of performers, including energetic jazz musicians, Saltire Street Band, graceful ballerinas, Edinburgh Panto stars, and a stylish Santa making his grand entrance in signature St James Quarter fashion.

Spreading festive cheer throughout the capital, the parade will travel aboard the tram to St Andrew Square, before making its way through Multrees Walk and into the Galleria, concluding at Register Square with a mesmerising light switch-on and Christmas sing along led by the incredible, Edinburgh Rock Choir.

After this magical opening weekend, St James Quarter will continue to be a hub of holiday spirit with a packed calendar of events all the way through to Christmas:

There’s fun for all the family with Elf Adventures on Sunday 24 November, where kids can enrol in Elf School, make reindeer food, enjoy festive face painting, plus, grab an ‘elfie’ with Santa’s little helpers!

On Thursday 5 December, St James Quarter will be filled with the sounds of the season, as it plays host to an evening of live performances including Soul & Disco with a festive twist from Groove Down Band, and smooth jazz vocals from Marianne McGregor.

Experience an afternoon of elegance, sophistication and luxury on Sunday 15 December, as A Bridgerton Christmas takes to the Quarter. Dear Readers will be welcomed into the galleria byCapella, an award-winning string quartet, before Bridgerton Ballerinas join the Quartet for a spectacular performance not to be missed. Guests will also be invited to take part in a Bridgerton themed dance class suitable for all ages.

To ‘wrap’ up the festive season, your gifts can be beautifully packed by professional gift wrappers onSaturday 21 and Sunday 22 December in exchange for a donation to the Quarter’s charity partners, Edinburgh Women’s Aid and Health in Mind.

From now till Christmas there will be several unexpected choir and carol singing performances from the local community.

Many of these events will take place against the sparkling backdrop of St James Quarter’s own magical Christmas shop window, an enchanting and immersive festive display on Level 3 that guests can step into, to embrace the magic of the season and snap the perfect Christmas picture. Anyone who shares their pictures from the window to their Instagram Grid, tagging @stjamesquarter, will be entered into a draw to win a £500 St James Quarter gift card.

“We are delighted to unveil our most spectacular Christmas programme to date,” said Anne Ledgerwood, Estate Director at St James Quarter. “We have created an enchanting festive experience that captures the magic of the season for all our guests to enjoy, with a well-crafted calendar of magical music, dance and interactivity.”

Find out more about what’s on and festive opening hours on the St James Quarter App which you can download here.