9-year-old Karson Hearley Switches On Penzance Christmas Lights

Published On: 1 December 2025Last Updated: 1 December 2025By CornishStuff

📷 9-year-old Karson Hearley switches on the Christmas lights in Penzance on Saturday 29 November. Photo by Penzance Council

A Big Moment in the Town Centre

Christmas arrived in Penzance on Saturday, 29th November, thanks to 9-year-old Karson Hearley from Gulval Primary School. Karson was invited by the Mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds, to switch on the town’s Christmas lights in front of a huge crowd gathered in the town centre.

Before pushing the plunger, Karson asked the crowd around the Christmas tree, ‘Who here likes pasties?’ and led them into a loud ‘Oggy, oggy, oggy!’ He then lit up the town, marking the start of the festive season and bringing an end to months of disruption caused by essential gas works and town centre improvements.

📷9-year-old Karson Hearley switches on the Christmas lights in Penzance on Saturday 29 November. Photo by Penzance Council

How Karson Earned the Honour

Karson was chosen by the Mayor as the winner of the annual Christmas Card Competition, now in its sixth year. The competition invites Year 5 and 6 pupils from schools across the Penzance Parish to design the Mayor’s Christmas card.

This year’s theme was Cornish Christmas, and Karson’s winning design featured a Christmas tree made of pasties. The card will be sent out by Stephen as an e-card, reflecting the environmental values of Penzance Council.

Entries came in from Gulval School, Heamoor Community Primary School, Pensans Community Primary School and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School.

Festive Entertainment to Finish

After the lights switch-on, members of the Penzance Musical Theatre Company performed songs from their upcoming show Nativity! The Musical. The show runs at The Ritz in Penzance from 10th to 14th December.