Christmas Light Switch-on Events

South Lanarkshire Council's Community and Enterprise Resources, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Services have a requirement to appoint a qualified organisation to produce, deliver and manage a programme of staged Christmas celebrations at their Christmas Lights Switch On Events.

The Christmas Light Switch On Events are highly popular, family-based events staged every year in the build up to the festive season.

South Lanarkshire Council invites tenders to provide an event package and event management service for five Christmas Lights Switch On Events in the following towns on the dates as noted:

- Lanark – Saturday 18th November 2023

- East Kilbride Village – Sunday 19th November 2023

- Rutherglen – Saturday 25th November 2023

- Cambuslang – Sunday 26th November 2023

- Carluke – Saturday 2nd December 2023

NB: There is a possibility that a 6th event may be required over the Christmas period.

The 2024 and 2025 events will follow the same pattern of dates (events will fall in this order over these weekends).

Each Christmas Light Switch On Event should last for approximately two hours on a fully rigged outdoor staging unit. Sites for each event have been identified, the detail of these will be provided to the successful tenderer. Previous events have included street entertainment, presenters, giveaways and children’s entertainment. The events may contain additional elements such as fairgrounds and Christmas markets. These are not included within the scope of this tender however the successful tenderer may have to liaise with organisers of these elements during the event planning process to provide a holistic event experience.

The lights are traditionally switched on by Santa and South Lanarkshire’s Provost at 5pm (although this may vary by town). The events are primarily targeted at families with children aged 16 and under.

Proposals should include the following:

- Provision of staging, pa, lighting and generators.

- Inclusion on technician, riggers and stage production.

- Pre-production

- Potential backline hire for live acts

- Provision of live entertainment (including a headline act)

- Provision of presenters (main presenter and back up MC)

- Complimentary street entertainment

- Provision of suitable first aid cover

- Provision of suitable on-site health and safety advice.

- Provision if event security

- Public Liability Cover for the event.

It is not necessary that all events are identical. The successful candidate will be the licence holder for the event on behalf of South Lanarkshire Council and as such will take on all administrative duties that this entails.

In addition to the Christmas event programme, there may be occasions where South Lanarkshire Council require event management and production at ad hoc times throughout the duration of this contract. With this in mind, bidders are asked to provide a day rate for services. This will allow officers to utilise the services of the successful bidder throughout the duration of the contract if required.

It is expected that the event organisers will have proven expertise in delivering events of a similar nature.