Your guide to Christmas light switch on events across our area

More from Local news

• Skipton charity refocuses its mission as demand for children’s mental health support surges

  Skipton-based children’s charity, The Principle Trust Children’s Charity, has announced a strategic refocusing of its work to place greater emphasis on supporting children experiencing mental health challenges, as concerns continue to grow across the region.

• Airedale emergency department 'exceptionally busy' with flu cases rising  

  Airedale Hospital says its Emergency Department is exceptionally busy and staff are having to prioritise the sickest patients.

• Skipton Brass Band Conductor shines on Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small

  Adrian Austin, a proud Skipton local, has found himself at the heart of one of British TV’s most cherished dramas, marking VJ Day.

• Local dads raise £11,892 to support Airedale Hospital and Community Charity

  Will Schaffer, Sam Prus, Martyn Stocker, Joe Smith, and Dan Chadwick - all from Ilkley - took on the 82-mile Dales Way walk with a goal to complete the challenge in under 36 hours.

• Yorkshire Water finally lifts five-month hosepipe ban

  Yorkshire Water has lifted its hosepipe ban today (Wednesday), bringing an end to restrictions that have affected more than five million people since July. 

• Don't blame wildlife for £11.7m Kex Gill overspend, say Green councillors

  ​Financial mismanagement rather than a requirement to protect wildlife caused an £11.7m overspend on a major road building scheme, opposition councillors claim. 

• New school observatory opens to inspire next generation of astronomers

  Skipton's Ermysted's Grammar School has an exciting new resource for young astronomers after becoming one of only a very small number of schools across the country with its own observatory.

• Brave dippers raise more than £5,000 at Sue Ryder’s first Big Dip Dales

  Cold water enthusiasts and newbies alike made a splash this weekend at Sue Ryder’s brand new cold-water challenge – The Big Dip Dales.  

• Tourism tax would be a 'hammer blow' for hospitality, says Skipton MP

  A North Yorkshire MP has warned that a proposed tourism tax would be a "hammer blow" for hospitality businesses in the county.

• New train timetables on Airedale Line from Sunday

  Northern is reminding Airedale Line commuters to check before they travel, with train timetables changing from Sunday 14 December 2025.

• An evening with Inbetweeners comedian in Silsden

  He'll be talking The Inbetweeners and much more at this very special evening with actor and comedian Joe Thomas on Saturday 28th February 2026.

• Skipton named happiest place to live in the UK

  A recent national survey has named Skipton the UK’s happiest place to live in 2025.

• Funding available to help rural community groups grow stronger and work smarter

  Share Skipton hired a new Volunteer Coordinator to develop their servied. Now, Community groups across North Yorkshire are being invited to apply for an Organisational Development Grant from Two Ridings Community Foundation.

• Come say hello to Santa in Skipton

  Santa has asked Skipton Craven Rotary Club to guide him round the town again this December, travelling in his sleigh to say hello to as many people as possible.

• Friends of the Dales Launches ‘Eyes on the Skies’ Campaign to Stop Raptor Persecution

  Friends of the Dales has launched a new initiative, Eyes on the Skies, aimed at raising awareness of raptor persecution in the Yorkshire Dales and encouraging efforts to protect vulnerable birds of prey.

• Sue Ryder's Christmas Treecycling scheme launched

  National healthcare and bereavement charity Sue Ryder is calling on residents in the Craven area to ‘branch out’ and recycle their real Christmas tree this January.  

• Skipton MP praises 'tremendous progress' of £82.5million Kex Gill project

  Ripon and Skipton MP Sir Julian Smith has praised the “tremendous progress” of the £82.5million Kex Gill realignment scheme.

• Skipton to feature in new North Yorkshire Calendar

  North Yorkshire Council has released a new set of calendars for 2026, each highlighting historic photographs from several towns across the county.

• Ermysted's to adopt new Year 7 Admissions Test

  Ermysted's Grammar School in Skipton has announced it will introduce a new entrance test from next September.

• Accounting firm in Silsden celebrates 7 years in business

  Marshall Krysko Limited in Silsden is marking its seventh anniversary today.