🎄 Canterbury Comes Alive: A Magical Night of Lights, Music, and Community Spirit for Lily’s

Last night, Canterbury truly sparkled. As the Christmas lights were officially switched on across the city, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the start of the festive season — and Lily’s was right at the heart of it.

This much-loved annual event is organised and funded by Canterbury BID together with the incredible businesses that make up our vibrant city centre. It’s always a special evening, but this year felt particularly magical as we came together to celebrate community, kindness, and inclusion.

🎶 A Festive Street Party on Guildhall Street

Thanks to our wonderful treasurer, we were joined by the brilliant Kent band Purple Harts, who performed live on Guildhall Street. Their energy, harmonies, and festive spirit created the perfect soundtrack to the evening. Their set was made even more enchanting by the snow machine, which transformed the street into a winter wonderland — a truly joyful sight!

Follow them on Tiktok here – https://www.tiktok.com/@purple.harts?_r=1&_t=ZN-91Pm9jdgD8o

Alongside the music, our café team kept everyone warm with jacket potatoes, hot chocolates, and mulled wine, filling the street with the comforting scents of winter.

☕ Community Generosity Shining Bright

One of the standout moments of the evening was our partnership with Howdens, who purchased 50 hot chocolates to give out to the crowd in their reusable cups. It was a beautiful example of the business community coming together to spread warmth — literally and figuratively.

We were also proud to provide them with mince pies from FareShare Kent, continuing our mission to keep good food out of bins and into bellies. The festive treats were a big hit, and the positive impact of preventing food waste made them taste even better.

🎄 Switching On the Magic

At 6:15pm, the city lights were officially switched on at 12 different points across Canterbury. Our CEO and founder, who sits on the BID board, was invited to switch on one of the lighting points — and she was, in her own words, “stupidly excited” to do so!

Even better, she got to share the moment with one of our wonderful trainees, making it a truly meaningful milestone for Lily’s. Seeing our trainee take part in such a significant event was a powerful reminder of why our work matters.

🐾 Special Guest Appearance: Winston in His Christmas Jumper

Of course, no Lily’s event would be complete without our unofficial mascot, Winston the puppy, who made his own festive debut! Wearing his Christmas jumper with pride, Winston charmed absolutely everyone — and he may have stolen the show more than once.

🎁 Launching Our Christmas Crowdfund

We’re thrilled to share that we raised £500 last night — a fantastic boost for our projects and a wonderful start to the season. This energy and generosity have helped us officially launch our 2024 Christmas Crowdfunder, supporting neuroinclusion and opportunities for neurodivergent people across East Kent.

You can support Lily’s and help us continue our life-changing work here:
👉 https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/lilys-social-kitchen-christmas-crowdfund

🎅 A City Filled With Festive Magic

With the largest Christmas market in the UK now open and lights glowing across every street, Canterbury looks more stunning than ever. We can’t wait to welcome locals and visitors over the coming weeks — and we’re so grateful to the community, businesses, and supporters who made last night such a success.

Here’s to a season filled with warmth, inclusion, and festive joy.
And to everyone who joined us last night — thank you. You helped make magic happen.