Helensburgh’s Best Dressed Window 2025

🎄Get Ready to Sparkle, Helensburgh! ✨

It’s Time for the Annual Best-Dressed Window Competition! 🪩

The Helensburgh Winter Festival is fast approaching, and we are thrilled to invite all local Helensburgh shops and businesses to enter our annual Best-Dressed Window Competition once again!

We’ve seen some absolutely wonderful, creative window displays over the last couple of years, and this year, we want to see even better displays from more businesses! This is your moment to shine and show off your talent to the whole town! ✨

How to Enter

📧 Email Anne at ‘media@helensburghwinterfestival.co.uk’ to officially register your business entry.

🪄Get Creative! Design and install your most festive, dazzling, and eye-catching window display.

📷 Picture Time: Once your window is ready, drop Anne another email, and we will come and photograph your fantastic display.

👍 Voting: All entries will be uploaded right here to our Facebook page for the public to vote for their favourites

Deadline

There is no official cut-off date to enter, but we would like to get all the photos up at the same time so everyone has an equal chance in the voting on our socials. We would also like to launch it well in advance of the festival, which is the 29th and 30th Nov.

I would hope to have all the photos taken by Thurs, 20th Nov, so that I can get them up on Facebook at least a week before the festival. The online voting will stay open until 15th December, so we have time to get the prizes out before Christmas.

If you can have your window ready by the week beginning 17th Nov, that would be great!

SPONSORSHIP

Remember, the Helensburgh Winter Festival is a small charity, and we rely on fundraising to keep the festival alive each year. We don’t currently have enough volunteers to do a raffle or tombola this year, so if any businesses would like to provide us with sponsorship, we would be sure to promote you heavily on our website and socials.

We would really appreciate any donations made via our website, however small, every penny is much appreciated.

We can’t wait to see all your fabulous festive window displays!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok for more updates and a full schedule of events.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS
Apply via this Application form only!

APPLY FOR A STALL

Fun-Packed Family Weekend Planned this November!

We have two days of festive cheer, live entertainment and local talent taking centre stage this November at our 13th Helensburgh Winter Festival!

We’re preparing for a huge festive market, funfair, and two days of top local entertainment hosted by speaker and presenter Greg Summers, who you may recognise as ‘The Kilt Walk Guy’!

Excitement is building across the town as final preparations are being made for the THIRTEENTH Annual Helensburgh Winter Festival. The much-loved event promises a fun-packed weekend of festive entertainment, local talent, and community celebration – the perfect way to launch the Christmas season!

Building on the success of our previous festivals, the town centre will once again be transformed into a magical winter market filled with artisan crafts, unique gifts and delicious festive food. Children will be thrilled by the funfair rides and enchanted by Santa’s Grotto in The Bridge, where Mrs Claus and her Elves will lend Santa a helping hand to greet every young visitor and make sure no one is left out.

Spotlight on Stage, Santa Dash & Penguins!

The Festival Stage will be buzzing all weekend, packed with talented local performers. Saturday, November 29th, kicks off the festivities with a performance from the local Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band, opening the event. The excitement continues at 12:15 pm with the highly anticipated Helensburgh Heart Santa Dash and warm-up, setting off a wave of red-suited festive runners through the town. Sunday, November 30th, begins with a flourish as the HMS Neptune Volunteer Band sets a lively tone for the day from 12pm.

Throughout the weekend, attendees can enjoy dazzling displays from beloved local performers, including Boogie Box Jive, Margaret Rose School of Dance, Studio 30, Argyll Dance Academy, and Singer Station, alongside a wealth of other great local talent.

Hosted by the Fabulous Greg Summers

Keeping the energy high and the audience entertained all weekend long is the phenomenal host, Greg Summers. Known affectionately to many as ‘The Kilt Walk Guy’ for his incredible work hosting Scotland’s largest mass participation events, including The Kilt Walk, Greg is guaranteed to bring his unique brand of enthusiasm, fun, and professionalism to the Helensburgh stage.

Our Festival Chair, Gail Broadhurst, said

“We’ve worked hard to bring together the very best of Helensburgh’s community, from the talented performers to the dedicated stallholders. With Greg at the helm and so much local talent on display, we know the atmosphere will be electric and the perfect way to welcome the Christmas season.“

Mark your calendars and join us for the Helensburgh Winter Festival—the ultimate start to Christmas!

EVENT DETAILS:

What: Helensburgh Winter Festival 2025
When: Saturday, November 29th and Sunday, November 30th, 2025
Where: Helensburgh Town Centre / Colquhoun Square
Cost: Free entry (charges apply for market purchases, Santa’s Grotto and fairground rides)

DONATE ONLINE – Remember, the Helensburgh Winter Festival is a small charity, and we rely on fundraising to keep the festival alive each year. We really appreciate any donations made via our website.

We can’t wait to see you all!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok for more updates and a full schedule of events.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS
Apply via this Application form only!

APPLY FOR A STALL

Helensburgh Winter Festival 2023 – Latest Updates!

News Archive

Helensburgh Winter Festival 2023

The Helensburgh Winter Festival is an annual event celebrating the holiday season in style. It brings together various local Community Groups with a variety of activities and attractions for all ages, making it the perfect festive day out for families and friends of all ages.

Held in the historic seaside town of Helensburgh, Scotland, this festival has become a much-anticipated tradition for locals and tourists alike since its’ inception in 2012. From dazzling Christmas light displays, festive market stalls and street food, to our festival stage with great performers; there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the Helensburgh Winter Festival 2023.

But what makes the 2023 festival so special? Let us give you a sneak peek into all the exciting things that await you at this year’s event!

A Whole Month of Christmas Town Celebrations!

Starting with the Christmas Lights Switch-on, on Sat 18th Nov, the celebrations will run for a whole month – with the Festival weekend on Sat 9th & Sun 10th of December! That’s right; you have an entire month to soak up all the festive cheer and joy in our charming Scottish town!

So, what can you expect throughout Helensburgh – The Christmas Town during the festive season? There will be Christmas Concerts, Lights display and decorations in Hermitage Park, Panto in Victoria Halls, Art Exhibition with Helensburgh Art Hub, Santa’s Submarine at the Submarine Centre, Christmas Movies in the Tower Arts Centre, our local schools Penguin Painting Competition, plus a whole host of Community Group projects & events, which we will keep you updated on via our Social Media Channels.

The Festival Weekend – A Festive Extravaganza!

As the grand finalé of the month-long celebrations, the Festival Weekend promises to be an unforgettable experience. We have a very special guest coming along to officially open the festival, and Helensburgh’s very own Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band. With over 100 market stalls offering unique and handcrafted gifts, delicious food and drink options from local vendors, tombola and raffle prizes, and live music and dance performances from talented artists; you’ll have plenty to see, do and enjoy.

Don’t miss out on the traditional festive treats like a visit to Santa’s Grotto, a ride on the Miami Flyer, and our famous Round Table Santa Dash which takes place on the SATURDAY this year. And if that’s not enough, there will also be panto-themed street performers, funfair rides for all ages, and a spectacular finalé to mark the end of the festival.

Save the Date – 9th & 10th December 2023

The Helensburgh Winter Festival has become a beloved tradition for our town and its residents, and we are already looking forward to the next one in 2023. We can’t wait to welcome you all back to celebrate the festive season with us once again.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for updates on our social media channels and website as we have lots of fabulous festive fun planned. We value your feedback and suggestions, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any ideas or comments you may have.

Festive cheer all year round

But just because the Helensburgh Winter Festival only happens once a year doesn’t mean the Christmas Town spirit has to end. Keep the magic alive by supporting our local businesses and artisans throughout the year. From unique gifts to delicious treats, there are plenty of ways to spread joy and support our community all year round.

So gather your loved ones, bundle up in your warmest winter woollies, and join us for a weekend of festive fun at the Helensburgh Winter Festival 2023!

Let’s make unforgettable memories together once again. See you there!

Follow us on Social Media to keep updated on the latest! Click on the links below…