Ilkley is gearing up for a magical Christmas, with a host of festive attractions, spectacular light displays and family-friendly activities designed to bring visitors into the town centre and encourage people to shop, eat and spend locally.
Ilkley Business Improvement District (BID) has unveiled an exciting programme of Christmas initiatives, including a giant illuminated teddy bear, a spectacular light projection on Ilkley Town Hall, a Winter Wonderland Festive Trail, a Christmas shop window competition and a special promotional video celebrating the town’s independent businesses.
The festivities will begin on Saturday 21st November, when a giant illuminated Ilkley Christmas Teddy Bear takes pride of place at Canker Well on The Grove.
Adding to the celebrations, a magical Santa’s Workshop light projection will transform the front of Ilkley Town Hall into a festive spectacle for residents and visitors to enjoy throughout the Christmas period.
Families can also look forward to exploring the town with a free Winter Wonderland Festive Trail, running from 21st November until 3rd January 2027.
Local artist John Giles has created 12 large-scale Winter Wonderland scenes featuring familiar Ilkley landmarks with a festive twist, which will be displayed at locations around the town centre.
Each scene will contain a hidden letter, with participants challenged to find all 12 for the chance to win a £50 Ilkley Gift Card. For a second entry into the prize draw, they can rearrange the letters to reveal the name of a famous Yorkshire legend.
The trail promises to be a fun activity for all ages, giving families an opportunity to explore Ilkley and perhaps discover some businesses they haven’t visited before.
Ilkley’s shops and businesses will also be getting into the Christmas spirit with a Christmas Shop Window Competition, inviting the public to vote for their favourite festive display.
The winning business will be crowned Ilkley’s Best Dressed Christmas Window, while one lucky person who votes for the winning display will be chosen at random to receive a £200 Piccolino gift voucher.
And to help spread the festive message even further, Ilkley BID has created its first bespoke Discover Ilkley Christmas promotional video, featuring 16 local businesses and their owners.
Launching on Sunday 22nd November, the video will celebrate the people and independent businesses that make Ilkley such a special place to shop, eat and visit, while showcasing the town as a destination for Christmas shopping and a festive family day out.
“We’ve been working hard since March to bring something really special to Ilkley this Christmas, and we’re so excited to see everything coming together.
“Ilkley is a wonderful place to visit at any time of year, but there’s something particularly magical about the town at Christmas. We wanted to build on that, create some exciting new attractions
for families and give people even more reasons to come into town and support our fantastic local businesses.
“Every year, Ilkley BID provides additional Christmas lighting in areas such as South Hawksworth Street and The Crescent Courtyard, complementing the lights installed by Ilkley Town Council. But this year, we wanted to go a step further!
“Our giant illuminated teddy bear is sure to bring a smile to people’s faces, and we can’t wait to see Santa’s Workshop lighting up the Town Hall. We’re also delighted to have worked with local artist John Giles, whose wonderful Winter Wonderland scenes will give families something completely different to discover as they explore the town.
“Another highlight for us is our first Christmas promotional video, which puts some of Ilkley’s brilliant independent businesses and their owners in the spotlight. Look out for some familiar faces as they help us spread the message about shopping locally this Christmas!
“We’re incredibly lucky to have such a fantastic mix of independent shops, cafés, restaurants and other businesses in Ilkley, and Christmas is a particularly important time of year for them.
“Ultimately, we want to create a town centre that looks wonderful, feels welcoming and gives people plenty of reasons to visit, enjoy themselves and spend time here. And if we can bring a little extra Christmas magic to Ilkley at the same time, even better!”
Make Ilkley part of your Christmas plans and enjoy a festive day of shopping, delicious food and a little Winter Wonderland magic. Keep an eye on this website and our social media channels for details of how to take part in the Festive Trail, download your trail form and vote for your favourite Christmas shop window.
