15/10/2026
The 11th year we've delivered this for our clients Newport Now - and it's something we always love doing.
NEWPORT city centre will start the countdown to Christmas with a spectacular event packed with fun for all the family on Saturday, November 14.
Running from 2pm to 5.30pm, Countdown to Christmas will feature live music, fairground rides and celebrity guests, culminating in the official switching on of Newport’s city centre Christmas lights and a breath-taking laser light show.
Organised by Newport Now BID in partnership with Newport City Council and Newport City Radio, Countdown to Christmas will mirror the BID’s hugely-successful previous annual events with the main stage based at the junction of Charles Street and Commercial Street.
Musical acts will be on stage throughout the day, and three star acts with more than 25 million worldwide record sales between them will be this year’s joint headliners.
The stars will also be helping the city’s mayor Councillor Deb Harvey push the button to light up the city centre for the festive season.
There will be fairground rides, costume characters, face painters, and Santa, and the event will culminate with the Christmas lights switch-on followed by the laser light show in John Frost Square.
Newport Now BID chairman Zep Bellavia said: “We are proud and excited to be delivering our 11th annual Countdown to Christmas event to launch the festive trading period in the city centre.
“We are sure this year will prove just as popular as previous events and, as usual, there will be a fantastic family feel to the day.
“The BID represents more than 600 businesses in the city centre area. The vast majority of them are small independents and we hope the people of Newport and the surrounding area will support them during the Christmas shopping season.”
More details about the event – including the special celebrity guest and other musical performers – will be revealed over the next few weeks.
