Towns light up for Christmas tonight (Friday)
Newbury and Tadley will be counting down to the festive lights switch on this evening
NEWBURY and Tadley town centres will be glowing this evening, after crowds are expected to join in the big countdown to the Christmas lights switch on.
Mayor of Newbury, Jeff Beck, will be joined by a number of local children to turn on the lights in the Market Place at 5.30pm following a packed programme of events, which will start at 4pm with local singer Kate Izzard performing popular hits and Christmas songs with local band South Finesse.
Newbury town band, Watership Brass Band, together with St Nicolas Church Choir will also sing carols to entertain the crowds in Market Place.
The lights in Northbrook Street will come on just before 5pm after which Mr Beck and his entourage of ‘Light Walkers', made up of local children, will lead a procession through the town.
They will be followed by Santa Claus, whose sleigh will leave Newbury Methodist Church at 5pm and he is expected to arrive at Market Place at approximately 5:20pm.
Mr Beck and the ‘Light Walkers' will then switch-on the lights to illuminate the Market Place and Christmas tree.
Town council leader, Julian Swift-Hook (Lib Dem, Pyle Hill) said: “Newbury Town Council know that the Christmas Lights give enjoyment to lots of people and that they are a key part of the festive period in the town.
“Newbury is a tremendous town with so much to offer at Christmas time, so do come to the big switch-on, support our partners, enjoy the lights with your friends, and make a great night of it.”
Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet Santa's reindeer whilst tucking into refreshments in the Market Place.
The St Nicolas Church Choir and Watership Brass Band will continue to perform carols after the switch-on.
This year's Christmas lights are provided by Millennium Quest and funded by the town council.
In Tadley, actors starring in the annual pantomime at The Anvil, Basingstoke, will switch on the Christmas tree lights.
Organisers, Tadley Town Council have confirmed that Ben-Ryan Davies and Pete Hillier, from Peter Pan, will start the count-down to flick the switch at 7pm outside the council offices in Franklin Avenue.
Davies, who plays Peter Pan, is known for his role as Ronan Burley in the BBC One series Waterloo Road, while Hillier, who plays Smee, is best known as Boogie Peter on the Cbeebies programme Boogie Beebies.
The entertainment all kicks off at 6pm with carol singing by Burnham Copse primary school, followed at 6.30pm by more festive songs with Tadley band, the Hurst singers and the Tadley singers. There will also be a Christmas market, raffles and tombolas, a stilt walker and juggler, merry-go-round, Santa's grotto and free mince pies, courtesy of Sainsbury's.
