Low Wood Bay's first Christmas lights switch-on is free, Friday 20 November, 5pm to 9pm, lights at 7.30pm. A free Gingerbread House Festival runs to 22 Nov.

Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, on the shore of Windermere between Windermere and Ambleside, holds its first Christmas lights switch-on on Friday 20 November 2026, from 5pm to 9pm, with the lights going on at 7.30pm. It is free. The same evening opens a new, free Gingerbread House Festival, which runs to Sunday 22 November.

The quick answer:

  • When: Friday 20 November, 5pm to 9pm, tree lights on at 7.30pm.
  • Price: free, no ticket listed.
  • Where: Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, Ambleside Road, Windermere, LA23 1LP.
  • Parking: non-residents park in the marina car park, according to the hotel.
  • Father Christmas is due to arrive by boat, according to the festival programme.
  • Gingerbread House Festival: Friday evening to Sunday 22 November, free.
  • Still to come: the hotel says “full details to be confirmed closer to the date”.

Everything here is from English Lakes Hotels’ own event pages, read on 21 October 2026.

Friday 20 November: the switch-on

English Lakes Hotels, which owns Low Wood Bay, calls this “our very first Christmas Lights Switch-On”, a “free community event” by the lake (English Lakes Hotels). What it has confirmed so far:

  • Gather by the lake from 5pm; the Christmas tree lights go on at 7.30pm.
  • A bar serving hot chocolate and mulled wine.
  • An appearance by Sam the Dog.
  • Stalls from local exhibitors. The hotel names Penningtons Distillery, Fellside Candles, Fellside Fudge, Sweet Treats by Martin Frickel, The Flying Chocsman, Stem and Petal, Abi Brown Art, English Lakes Pistachio & More, Pure Dog Treats, Lorna Singleton (oak swill baskets), Maed & Co Kendal, Grasmere Gingerbread and Sam Read Bookseller.

The festival programme adds that Father Christmas will arrive by boat, and that Hansel and Gretel and the Gingerbread Man will hand out samples of Grasmere Gingerbread (English Lakes Hotels). The switch-on page itself does not mention the boat, and says full details are still to be confirmed, so check again in the week before.

The Gingerbread House Festival, 20 to 22 November

This is new for 2026, run by English Lakes Hotels and Grasmere Gingerbread and endorsed by Cumbria Tourism. Bakers from around the country enter gingerbread houses and other constructions in categories from under-11s to professionals, for the title of National Gingerbread House of the Year 2026, raising money for the housing charity Shelter. Prizes run up to £1,000 cash. Entry for visitors is free. The hotel’s published programme:

Day Hours What is on
Friday 20 November 5pm to 9pm Festival launch with the lights switch-on
Saturday 21 November 2pm to 8pm Judging day, entries on show, winner announced during the day
Sunday 22 November 10am to 5pm Exhibition open with the winning entries

On Saturday: Great British Bake Off contestant Abi Lawson on winter hedgerow baking at 2.15pm; the Storytellers Corner with Taffy Thomas MBE, Sophie Anderson and Elaina Moon from 2.15pm to 6.45pm; gingerbread biscuit decorating for children from 3pm to 7pm; edible Christmas decorations with sugarcraft artist Debby the Boho Baker at 3.30pm; “the ultimate Christmas stuffing” at 4.45pm; and Christmas cocktails at 7.15pm.

On Sunday: Debby the Boho Baker at 10.15am, the Storytellers Corner from 10.45am to 4.30pm, biscuit decorating from 10.30am to 4.30pm, Abi Lawson at 11.30am, the stuffing session at 2pm and cocktails at 4.15pm. Children at the storytelling and decorating sessions must be with an adult.

The hotel’s own pages spell the baker’s name both “Abi” and “Abbi”.

Getting there and parking

Low Wood Bay is on the A591 between Windermere and Ambleside. The hotel says parking for non-residents is in the marina car park; it does not say whether there is a charge, or how many spaces there are, for a free event on a Friday night. If it fills, the next options are the pay car parks in Windermere or Ambleside, which are not within easy walking distance in the dark.

Check our Kendal roadworks and travel page for closures on the A591 before you set off. If you are shopping in Kendal first, see parking in Kendal.

Two switch-ons on one weekend

Ambleside’s own Christmas lights go on the next day, Saturday 21 November, with a lantern procession and no fireworks this year: see our Ambleside Christmas lights page. Kendal’s switch-on is Friday 27 November in Market Place: see Kendal Christmas lights switch-on. The Kendal Mountain Festival fills the town that same weekend, 19 to 22 November (festival page).

More Christmas near Kendal

Sources