Winter festival with Christmas market and funfair sees London borough 'renamed' for two weeks

Anna Willis

23 November 2024 at 0:15 am·2-min read

Colourful illuminated Christmas star decorations — -Credit: (Image: Getty)

A winter festival with a Christmas market and funfair is coming to a South London borough later this month, with a free festive light trail for the whole family. The Sparkle in the Park festival will return to Charlton House and Gardens in Greenwich at the end of November for a fifth year.

The festival will include four nights of spectacular light installations as well as a Christmas market and the opportunity for kids to meet Mrs Clause. There will also be a funfair and performances from local schools and community choirs.

Best of all, the festival and the market will be totally free to enter, and there's no need to pre-book either. However, there will be a ticket needed for those wanting to try the Mrs Clause experience.

The Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park on a snowy day

And to help fund the winter festival this year, Greenwich will be undergoing a subtle name-change inspired by one of the biggest movies of the year - Wicked. According to the Greenwich Wire, the borough will be called 'GreenWitch' for two weeks, tying in with the release of Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, which is released in cinemas next week.

Even the University of “GreenWitch” is being renamed, and visitors can follow a 'GreenWitch' trail available from the tourist information centre. The Greenwich Wire has also reported that Greenwich Council hasn't said how much it was being paid for the marketing stunt, but that the cash will help fund the £190,000 cost of the Sparkle in the Park winter lights festival.

The Sparkle in the Park festival will take place in Charlton Park between November 28 and December 1. For more information, visit the website here.

Got a story for us? Email anna.willis@reachplc.com.

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