A massive 67 foot Christmas tree – the tallest in London – will be the latest edition to the iconic City skyline when it is unveiled next month as part of the Eastern City Business Improvement District’s Festival of Light Campaign.

The Eastern City tree will be erected outside the Pan Pacific London hotel, with a global Film and TV celebrity switching on the lights on November 14th in front of a Dickensian choir and stilt walkers. The tree, made of 65,000 LED sparkling lights and over 800 red and gold baubles, has been created by The Christmas Decorators – a company committed to sustainability which has earned them the Carbon Footprint Standard, therefore contributing to a greener, sustainable future.

This is just one of the creative and ambitious programme of activities sponsored by the Eastern City BID to help both workers and visitors alike enjoy the iconic area during this period. Working again with Festival.Org, which collaborated with the Eastern City BID to bring the iconic Arcs in 2023 and Bubbles in 2024, we are delighted to reveal IMPULSE – an interactive sound and light playground made up of six see-saws that respond to the riders’ movements.

A City of London premier, Impulse is an invitation to play, laugh and transform when put into motion by people, augmented by LED lights and ambient sounds. When not in use, the see-saws will stabilise to the horizontal position and move to a low glowing level. Installed on 2nd December until 15th December, this is guaranteed to bring light and joy through the dark months.

In addition to this, Hive Curates will bring us the City Light Festival which will illuminate iconic areas of the City, including the Lloyds of London building. These playful and unexpected light interventions will bring awe and wonder to the streets, curtesy of especially commissioned artists.

The Light Festival will start on 2nd December.

The BID has also sponsored Christmas trees in the churches of St Helen’s, St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate and St Mary Abchurch, as well as organising traditional Christmas workshops such as wreath and candle making and bauble workshops.

Kate Hart, Chief Executive of the Eastern City BID, said:

“We are incredibly proud to be a trail blazer in our area and bring these festive firsts, which are imaginative, decorative and distinctive. This is a community that drives change – both with new ideas but in perception too. These activations are designed to draw a different visitor, while enhancing the public spaces for our workers and visitors alike.

The Festival of Light campaign draws on the recommendations in our Public Realm Vision launched earlier this year, improving and enhancing the public spaces which are often seen as dark, dreary and unwelcoming. And every event is free for all. The BID is in a unique position as an enabler to bring artists, creatives and businesses together to showcase something the whole area can enjoy and in addition shine a light – literally – on their amazing projects and installations.”

Nick Bolton, CEO of The Christmas Decorators, said:

“We are delighted to be asked to provide such an iconic tree to the City of London. We are quite particular about what new work we undertake as our schedule is always bursting at the seams. However, when we heard about the ambition for this record-breaking tree by the Eastern City BID, we were honoured to put forward our proposal. It’s been fun for the team to build and even more fun as the installation date finally arrives.”

Guillaume Aniorté, Managing Director of QDSinternational, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that Impulse by Lateral Office and CS Design will light up London’s dynamic Eastern City this winter for a magical and festive fortnight. Londoners of all ages are invited to tap into joy and playfulness with a ride on a series of larger- than-life seesaws that will transform an exciting corner of the city into a playground of light, sound and wonder.”