Shrewsbury’s festive season is set to start with a bang as the town’s Christmas Cracker event returns next week.
The big lights switch-on is being organised by Shrewsbury Town Council in partnership with Shrewsbury Shopping Centres.
The evening of fun begins from 5pm on Wednesday, November 20, when bands, choirs and acoustic acts from around the region are set to fill the town with a variety of seasonal music and entertainment to mark the start of late night shopping and the switch-on of the Christmas lights display.
Switching on the lights this year will be the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Phil Gillam.
The ever-popular lantern parade will once again set off from the Darwin Shopping Centre at the earlier time of 5.45pm in time for that all-important official countdown at 6.30pm ably assisted by Shrewsbury’s Town Crier.
Entertainment will continue in various locations around the town until 7.30pm.
And to add to the fun on the night, Santa and his sleigh will be on Pride Hill all evening, courtesy of the Rotary Club of Shrewsbury Severn.
For those wanting to take part in the lantern parade, a free lantern workshop is being held on November 16, from 11.00am until 3.00pm, in the former British Heart Foundation shop next to Poundland in the Middle Level of the Darwin Shopping Centre. Participants will be invited to take part in the parade as part of the Christmas Cracker celebrations on November 20. There will be restrictions on numbers joining the parade and for Health & Safety reasons, pushchairs will not be permitted on the evening.
Shrewsbury’s Shopping Centres will be open until 8pm and the Market Hall will stay open until 9pm with complimentary mulled wine and mince pies available from 6pm until 8pm on proof of purchase from any market retail stall, while stocks last.
The evening will also see the return of the Darwin Centre’s spectacular giant reindeer Shrewdolf, which will have its very own switch-on to coincide with the Square countdown at 6.30pm.
Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Phil Gillam, said: “I’m looking forward to the programme of events scheduled to celebrate the launch of the town’s annual Christmas lights display, with free family entertainment, and the all-important start of late night shopping in the run-up to Christmas. I would love to see as many people as possible in the town for what promises to be a fun-filled evening in Shrewsbury”.
To help visitors to the town, there will be a free Park and Ride from 12pm until 9.30pm for the Christmas Cracker event next week with free parking from 3pm in Abbey Foregate and Frankwell car parks each Wednesday from November 20 until December 18.
For further information visit www.shrewsburytowncouncil.gov.uk
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