Kelly Llorenna tops line-up for Darwen Christmas lights switch-on 2025
Kelly Llorenna – the singing sensation behind dance anthems Heart of Gold and True Love Never Dies – has been revealed as the headline act for this year’s Darwen Christmas lights switch-on.
Every year, huge crowds descend on Darwen Market Square for the much-loved event, with more than 10 hours of festive fun for all the family.
And, building on the huge success of last year’s record-breaking celebration which saw K-Klass headline, it’s been announced that Kelly will top this year’s packed line-up.
She first shot to fame in the 90s as the lead singer of N-Trance, providing the iconic vocals for their smash hit Set You Free. She then went on to launch a successful solo career with chart-toppers including Tell It to My Heart and This Time I Know it’s for Real.
Fresh from an arena tour with Clubland, Kelly will lead the countdown to the big lights switch-on – rounding off a full day of live performances, festive markets, fairground rides, and a special visit from the big man himself, Father Christmas.
The event has been in the planning for months, and the full line-up has now been confirmed, with more details set to be revealed soon.
Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Deputy Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and Executive Member for Growth and Development, said: “Every year, the Darwen Christmas lights switch-on draws huge crowds, and this year promises to be no different.
“Running from 10am right through to the early evening, the event offers something for everyone – making it a perfect way for families and friends to start off the festive season together.
“We’re especially excited to welcome Kelly Llorenna as our headline act, leading a packed programme of entertainment both on stage and in the Market Square and Darwen Market too.
“This celebration is also a great chance to shine a spotlight on our town centre, supporting our market traders and our brilliant independent businesses.
“More details will be revealed in the coming weeks, so make sure the date is in your diary – it’ll be a festive day not to be missed.”
The event will take place on Saturday, November 15, and is once again being organised by Crafty Vintage.
Owner, Laura Johnson said: “We know just how popular the Darwen Christmas lights switch-on event is – people look forward to it every single year and the drone picture of the crowds last year was just incredible.
“We put a huge amount of time and effort into making sure we put on a fantastic Christmas show for the town with more than 10 hours of festive fun with something for everyone.
“This year, we’re excited to announce Kelly Llorenna as our headliner with a packed line-up of local talent too. We can’t wait to share more.”
The event is jointly funded by both Blackburn with Darwen Council and Darwen Town Council.
The full programme will soon be available on the Darwen Town Centre website: www.darwentowncentre.co.uk
There’ll also be lots of useful updates on the Darwen Town Centre Facebook page plus the Shop Darwen Instagram – be sure to follow them both now.
Leader of Darwen Town Council, Councillor Jonathan Hamer, said: “The Darwen Christmas lights switch-on is always one of the highlights of the festive calendar, drawing huge crowds from Darwen and beyond.
“With so much planned, it promises to be another brilliant celebration for the whole community.
“We’re thrilled to have Kelly Llorenna leading the countdown to the big switch-on and can’t wait to see Market Square filled with festive cheer once again.”
For more on all that Darwen town centre has to offer, please head to: www.darwentowncentre.co.uk
