22/10/2026
As the festive season approaches, the Oughterard Christmas Lights volunteers are once again preparing to bring a little Christmas magic to our wonderful village!
Our annual Christmas Lights installation traditionally begins over the October Bank Holiday Weekend, giving our volunteers time to prepare and install the street lighting ahead of our much-loved December Light Up.
Each year, a tremendous amount of voluntary time, effort and goodwill goes into making Oughterard look its festive best. However, there are also considerable costs involved in bringing it all together.
𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 €𝟲,𝟬𝟬𝟬:
Genie Lift Hire ( October, November & January): €3,200
Public Liability Insurance: €550
Santa Grotto & Light Up Day Entertainment: €1,500
Lighting Hardware & Maintenance: €750
Our iDonate fundraising target this year is €3,000, specifically to help cover half the costs 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, while we envisage the other half will come from our 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲; Annual Coffee Morning on Friday, 23rd October, followed by our popular Christmas Hamper Draw in December.
We appreciate that not everyone can attend these events, so we have set up this iDonate page to give anyone who would like to support the Christmas Lights an opportunity to contribute :
https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/oughterardchristmaslights1
Every donation, no matter how small, is genuinely appreciated. There is absolutely no obligation to donate, and we are equally grateful to everyone who supports us by attending our events, volunteering their time or simply spreading the word.
𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖 𝙄𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙊𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙙 !
We are delighted that Santa will be visiting his new Grotto at Camp Street Café on Sunday, 6th December 2026!
Tickets will be available through Eventbrite.ie from approximately mid-November.
Children's tickets: €10 each
Accompanying adults: FREE
Maximum availability: 140 children's tickets
The Santa Grotto has become a such popular part of our Christmas celebrations, and we are so grateful to all the families who have supported it over the years.
As with any popular family event, accommodating everyone comfortably can be challenging. We are continuing to review and refine our booking and visiting arrangements, taking on board the experiences of previous years, with the aim of making the occasion as enjoyable and relaxed as possible for children, parents and volunteers alike.
By limiting tickets to 140 children this year, we hope to allow more manageable visiting times and ensure that everything concludes comfortably ahead of our 6pm Village Christmas Lights Switch-On.
We sincerely appreciate everyone's patience, understanding and co-operation as we work to make the day special for all involved.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮, 𝐎𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝
Our Christmas Lights are a true community effort, made possible by the generosity of local families, businesses, supporters and our dedicated volunteers.
Whether you donate, attend one of our fundraising events or lend a helping hand, you are contributing to something that brings warmth, colour and Christmas cheer to our village.
Thank you all for your continued kindness and support.
We look forward to sharing another wonderful Oughterard Christmas with you in 2026!
The Oughterard Christmas Lights Volunteers
