About Davidson's Mains and Silverknowes Christmas Lights

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Davidson Mains & Silverknowes Christmas Lights group is a constituted group whose aim is to campaign to raise funds to purchase, store, maintain, rig and derig the Christmas Lights throughout Davidson Mains village, in public areas for all to enjoy. 

We currently hang over 800 metres of festive lighting along Main Street from The Corbie to Costa Coffee and around the Holy Cross Church grounds and railings. With successful fundraising we look to increase the amount of lights and the areas around the village we reach each year. 

Fundraising events including The Christmas Market & Switch On are essential as successful fundraising ensures equipment can be replenished as needed and the lit-up area expanded year on year

History 

The City of Edinburgh Council provides lights on lamp posts throughout Main Street of Davidson's Mains. Historically, the Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes Association (DMSA) liaised with the council regarding small switch on events to turn these lights on.

In 2017, the DMSA were advised that the council may no longer be placing lights in outlying areas and therefore there would be no festive lights in the village. A small group of local volunteers decided to set up the Davidson's Mains & Silverknowes Christmas Lights group in order to raise funds to replace or enhance the lamppost pendant lights which are hung every year by the council, and the first Christmas lights fundraising switch on event was held in grounds of Holy

Cross Church at the beginning of December 2017. The event was a great success and subsequent successful Switch On’s were held in 2018 and 2019.

After the pandemic in 2020 the traditional event couldn’t go ahead so a socially distanced Christmas Market was devised and delivered throughout the Davidson's Mains and Silverknowes area. Since then there have been 2 further Christmas Markets in the grounds of Holy Cross Church and East Barnton Avenue with the 2022 event culminating in the Switch On of the huge offering of festive lights built up since 2017.

The Christmas Market and Switch On event has proven to be increasingly popular and has had a fantastic turnout from the local community. The event aims to support local crafters, makers, organisations and businesses while providing a fun, community spirited day out for everyone. The funds raised through this event ensure the village lights display can be bigger and brighter each year.

The Committee

The group is made up of a Management Committee of up to 12 Members, supported by a large pool of volunteers, drawing on skills and resources from The Davidson's Mains Children's Gala, local Scout Groups, Churches and Businesses.

We are always happy to accept help, and the events need a lot of support with set up, break down, stall and raffle ticket sales, helping with arts and crafts, stage tech support and more. Tasks range from fundraising, bag packing, raffle prize gathering, crafting, marshalling, and logistics. For more information check out our Volunteer Page.