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Unwrap the Christmas Magic in Bray—Your Festive Season Starts Here!

Unwrap the Christmas Magic in Bray — Your Festive Season Starts Here!

The festive season is just around the corner; the Bray and District Chamber of Commerce, bray.ie and Bray Municipal District, Wicklow County Council, have once again teamed up to launch their Christmas marketing campaign—Unwrap the Christmas Magic in Bray—Your Festive Season Starts Here. This campaign urges the Bray community to continue shopping, hiring, and sourcing locally, helping to strengthen the foundation for economic growth in the District. It also invites everyone to participate in the town’s many festive events and activities taking place through late November and December.

This year’s Bray festive season is bursting with a fantastic lineup of events, from watching ‘Christmas Movies at Mermaid’, visiting ‘Santa and The Ponies at Festina Lente’, and exploring the ‘Killruddery Christmas Markets’ to catching enchanting ‘Candlelight Concerts’ and, of course, the sparkling town centre Christmas lights. So, don your cosiest winter coat and get ready to spread the festive cheer. 

Kieran Ward, President of the Bray & District Chamber of Commerce, said, “There’s no better way to embrace the Christmas spirit than by enjoying everything our wonderful town has to offer. From festive events to the fantastic local businesses that make Bray special, it’s the perfect time to shop local and support our vibrant business community.”

Pictured at the launch of the Christmas in Bray 2024 marketing campaign (left to right) are Kieran Ward, the Bray & District Chamber of Commerce President, Cllr Malachaí Duddy, Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy, Santa Claus, Adam Burke, Cllr Melanie Corrigan and Cllr Erika Doyle, Leas-Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District—photo by Leigh Anderson. 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Bray Town Centre came alive with joy and excitement (Saturday, November 23rd) as the official Christmas lights on Main Street were switched on at the Civic Plaza, marking the start of the town’s much-anticipated festive season. Starting at 4:45 pm, the event gathered a large crowd for a magical outdoor celebration filled with music, laughter, and merriment.

Above is a selection of photos from the launch of Bray’s Christmas Lights Switch-On Celebration—photos by Leigh Anderson

The evening’s highlight was the spectacular arrival of Santa Claus, who thundered into town on a Harley Davidson. He was accompanied by an escort from An Garda Síochána, Bray’s 2023 Person of the Year, Dessie O’Toole, and other Harley Davidson riders, heralding the official switch-on of the lights. This year, Francesca Fitzpatrick and her family had the honour of illuminating Bray’s Main Street, revealing new, bespoke Christmas lights that dazzled the gathering. All the festive lights are powered by energy-efficient LEDs, designed to consume 75% less electricity than traditional bulbs—an eco-conscious step in Bray’s commitment to sustainability.

#ShopLocalFirst this Christmas…

Cllr Dermot O’Brien, Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District, said, “The Christmas in Bray campaign encourages the local community to shop, hire, and source locally, emphasising that supporting local businesses not only enhances the festive spirit but also strengthens the town’s economic growth. To support this campaign, free car parking is available in the Herbert Road Car Park (Council-owned portion) every weekend from Saturday, November 23rd until Sunday, December 29th.”

This Christmas, Bray won’t just sparkle and twinkle—it’s packed with incredible experiences, events, and activities that you can’t get anywhere else, all sure to add a little extra festive cheer.

They include: 

Simply click on the #ChristmasInBray event/activity image below to reveal more information.

Make a break for Bray this festive season…

There’s plenty to keep you and your family busy between the Christmas events, so why not make a break for Bray this festive season and explore things to see and doeat and drinkplaces to stay , and more by visiting the award-winning website: bray.ie.

Get your community event listed on bray.ie

If you’re hosting a community event this Christmas, bray.ie is happy to help promote it for free. Just fill out the online submission form here.

Thanks to the local business community… 

“We appreciate all the local businesses that have contributed to the Christmas in Bray campaign, events, and activities. If your business would like to contribute, don’t hesitate to email the Bray and District Chamber at info@braychamber.ie,” concluded Kieran. 

All events and activities are subject to change without notice. Competitions close on Friday, December 20th 2024.

Join the conversation

Use the hashtags #ChristmasInBray #UnwrapTheChristmasMagicInBray #WinterInBray #LoveBray #BestOfBray

The Christmas in Bray marketing campaign is supported by Bray and District Chamber of Commerce, bray.ie and Bray Municipal District, Wicklow County Council. bray.ie is a trading name of Bray Tourism.