From Wacky Idea to festive tradition: The Vee Dubs Christmas Cruz

7th December 2025

When Steve Wright first decorated his VW with a few strings of lights back in 2017, he never imagined he was kick-starting one of Weston-super-Mare’s most beloved festive traditions - or that it would one day raise more than £84,000 for Bristol Children’s Hospital’s Grand Appeal. Yet this Sunday (14 December), 150 Volkswagens will parade through the town in the sparkling Vee Dub Christmas Cruz he helped create, powered by passion, community spirit… and his own van’s astonishing 34,000 cluster lights.

What began as Steve and his partner Sam Pearce’s whacky December daydream has snowballed into one of the county’s most spectacular seasonal sights, drawing thousands of people onto the streets to watch the procession roll by. “It’s just been brilliant,” Steve says, recalling previous Cruz nights. “When you come out of the car park and see thousands of people waiting for you -  their smiles, their waves, the other cars beeping… it’s just brilliant.”
It’s the kind of moment that silences any doubts about the late nights, the tangled wires, or the mountain of paperwork involved in getting the event safely out of the garage and onto the roads each year.

A Parade With Heart

Although the atmosphere on the night is pure festive fun, the Cruz has a deeper heartbeat beneath all the tinsel and baubles. The event has raised an incredible amount for Bristol Children’s Hospital through The Grand Appeal - something that still humbles Steve. “It’s very humbling doing it for the charity,” he says. “If we can make people smile and raise money at the same time… that’s everything.”

The Cruz’s roots actually go back to 2017, when Steve and Sam organised their first event in just ten days to raise money for the Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit at Southmead Hospital, after a friend’s baby needed specialist care. “We started with 42 vans that first year and raised £3,500 - and it’s just gone on and on from there,” he says. “I never thought it would become this big. It’s grown into something absolutely crazy.”

Bigger, Brighter, and Brilliant

Each year, the scale - and the stakes - grow. With more than 150 Vee Dubs taking part in the Weston Cruz alone, each owner tries to out-sparkle the next (in the friendliest, most festive way). The parade winds its way from Queensway Retail Car Park at 5.30pm, drifting through Worle, gliding along the Boulevard and shimmering up to the seafront before finally rolling into the Gallagher Retail Park outside The Range just before 6.30pm.

And once they’re parked up, the magic becomes tangible. Visitors can wander among the glowing VWs, admire the handiwork, chat to the proud-but-slightly-sleep-deprived owners, and - most importantly - drop a few coins or notes into the collection buckets. As Steve puts it, “If you see us and we make you smile, please donate if you’re able. It really does make a difference.”

Behind the scenes, the Cruz is powered by an army of volunteers — a core team of around 60 vehicles who head out two or three nights a week throughout late November and December. “Our Christmas is pretty much Christmas Dubs,” Steve laughs. “We spend hours and hours in the background making all of this happen — risk assessments, working with the police, planning routes, the admin, the social media. It’s all voluntary. Everyone gives up their own time.”

The Glow Behind the Glow

Then there’s the build itself. Steve’s own van took 11 nights of preparation this year: finishing work at 4pm, driving to the borrowed workshop in Yatton by 5pm, and rarely getting home before 1am. “You’re talking 70 to 80 hours to get the van to the level I’ve done,” he says. “We build structures for the roof, we reuse and recycle bits from past years, and we all help each other. We always say it’s not a competition - but we’re very competitive people!” he says.

But beneath the fun and the friendly rivalry lies something deeply meaningful. Many individual Cruz outings are dedicated to loved ones who have passed away. Many of the volunteers have personal links to the children’s hospital. And for countless families across North Somerset, seeing the Christmas Dubs roll past has become an emotional milestone of its own.

“It’s very humbling when people say Christmas has started when they’ve seen us,” Steve says. “We’ve become a tradition to a lot of people now — and that’s something we’re very proud of.”

Lighting Up the Darkness

The Cruz has become a source of comfort as well as joy, especially in difficult times. “We’d always love to raise more money,” Steve says, “but we understand there’s a cost-of-living crisis and people are struggling. We’re just grateful for anything people can give.”

And yet, on the night, the generosity - emotional as well as financial - pours out. “It’s quite surreal when you’re driving,” he admits. “It’s heartwarming to see all the support and smiling faces, then to see the videos and pictures afterwards. And then there’s always the sobering reminder that the reason we started Christmas Dubs is because for some people… Christmas doesn’t happen.”

What Steve and Sam started with a handful of Vee Dubs and a simple wish to help a friend’s baby has grown into a glowing, rolling celebration of community spirit — and a lifeline for a charity that supports thousands of families every year.

“If you see us and we make you smile,” Steve says simply, “then please make a donation. That’s all we ask.”

Where and when to see the Vee Dubs Christmas Cruz

The Vee Dubs Christmas Cruz has two main events. The Weston-super-Mare one on Sunday, December 14, 2026 and the Nailsea, Clevedon and Portishead one the day before. But throughout December and the back end of November they are are also out at many other towns and venues. To find out where and when you can catch the festive Vee Dubs see the Vee Dubs Christmas Cruz website. 

Donate to the Grand Appeal

If you've see these amazing vehicles out and about and you want to donate money to their Grand Appeal - the official charity of Bristol Children’s Hospital.- you can donate here