Ignite Fire Festival & Christmas Light Switch-On

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. 

Suitable for all ages, with no need to book - just turn up! 

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. 

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. 

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.