THERE will be plenty of festive fun for all the family at the annual Droitwich Christmas lights switch-on tomorrow (Saturday).
Father Christmas will be arriving at the Council Chamber, Victoria Square, at 10am and St Richard’s House will be transformed into his grotto.
The farmers’ market and Wilson’s funfair in Victoria Square will begin in the morning and this year, for the first time, there will be a big wheel.
There will be local craft exhibitors inside the Tourist Information Centre and the Droitwich Lions Club will operate the Santa’s Grotto all day until the early evening inside St Richard’s House, which will also host children’s activities.
The big switch-on itself takes place outside St Richards House where there is a brand new festive display.
The Norbury Theatre will start the countdown with a performance from 4pm and Mayor, Coun Graham Beale, will lead the switching on of the lights at 4.30pm, followed by songs from the St Richards Hospice Choir until 5pm.
Elsewhere in the town, The Westacre Middle School Choir will be singing on the Salt Barrow Market from 11.30am, followed by the Rock Choir at midday, the Salvation Army Band at 2.30pm, Wilf’s Carnival Band at 4.45pm and singer Louise Roberts from 6pm into the evening.
There will be a licensed bar and pig roast from lunchtime onwards.
At 3.30pm, there will be a balloon release organised by the Macmillan Cancer Support.
There will also be the official opening of the annual Christmas Tree Festival at St Andrew’s Church and a festive community concert from 5.15pm to 6pm, featuring the community choir and the Lighthouse Puppets.
The Parish Centre rooms will be open for refreshments throughout the day and, between 2pm and 8pm, Droitwich High Street will feature a Dickensian themed Christmas with trade and community stalls, food and drink, street entertainers and seasonal window displays.
There will also be the opportunity to meet Santa’s reindeer between 2.30pm and 4.30pm and see the decorated horses with their carriage outside St Andrews Church.
A spokesperson for Droitwich Town Council said: “Don’t miss this Christmas cracker of a day which will be guaranteed to get you into the festive spirit.”
