Shrewsbury’s festive season is set to start with a bang as the town’s Christmas Cracker event returns to the town centre next week.
The big lights switch-on is being organised by Shrewsbury Town Council, in partnership with Shrewsbury Shopping Centres, and is sponsored by Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID).
The evening’s entertainment begins on November 14, from 5pm, when bands, choirs and acoustic acts from around the region are set to fill the town with a variety of seasonal music to mark the start of late night shopping and the annual Christmas lights switch-on.
Switching on the lights this year will be the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Peter Nutting.
The ever-popular lantern parade will set off from the Darwin Shopping Centre at the earlier time of 5.45pm, and will be led into the Square by the Boreatton Scouts Drum Corps in time for that all-important official countdown at 6.30pm.
Entertainment will then continue in various locations around town until 7.30pm.
And to add to the fun on the night, Santa and his sleigh will also be on Pride Hill from late afternoon, 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 10, from 11.00am until 3.00pm, in the former British Heart Foundation Unit in the Darwin Shopping Centre. Participants will then be invited back to take part in the parade as part of the Christmas Cracker celebrations on November 14, although there will be restrictions on numbers joining the parade and pushchairs will be 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 which will have its very own switch-on to coincide with the Square countdown at 6.30pm.
Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Peter Nutting, 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 in the town for what promises to be a fun-filled evening in Shrewsbury.”
For further information on the programme of events around the town, visit www.shrewsburytowncouncil.gov.uk or www.originalshrewsbury.co.uk
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