Live on-stage entertainment, including theatre groups and music from local students, returns to the Our Bury St Edmunds Christmas Lights Event next month for the first time in three years. Organisers of the event are retaining some elements that allowed a safe post-pandemic return for the occasion last year while bringing back the stage programme which has always been one of the most popular attractions.
The long-standing annual Christmas Charity Market will host stalls from local good causes and community organisations and a number of town centre businesses will also be participating during the afternoon and evening of Thursday November 17. Street entertainment will bring stilt walkers – including the amazing illuminated fairy, Victorian carol singers and the Salvation Army band playing Christmas music. A variety of food stalls and a funfair will complete the evening. There’s an opportunity to meet Father Christmas on his sleigh, along with his elves. Final arrangements are still being made for a further much-loved, popular TV character to also attend.
Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds Mark Cordell said: “This is a free admission fun night out for all the family. Last year we wanted to give everyone the opportunity to stay as safe as possible without missing anything and it worked so well we’ve decided that the lights will again be on as the event opens. As darkness starts to fall visitors will be able to wander around the town to watch an act on the stage, see the Christmas Trees and our special Instagram-able free-standing lights, which we introduced last year as well as all the other stunning illuminations.”
The Business Improvement District (BID) organisation Our Bury St Edmunds has purchased some new lights for this year and refurbished some of the others. All the lights are now on the most energy-efficient LED bulbs and to conserve energy they will be on for four hours less each day than in previous years.
Mark Cordell added: “When we started to bring back our events last year visitors welcomed the opportunity to walk around the town centre and find activities spread across a number of locations, which we have retained for the Lights Event. It’s always a wonderful afternoon and evening and I hope it will encourage people to come into town, meet up with friends or family and share some Christmas cheer or get some Christmas shopping ideas.”
The Our Bury St Edmunds Christmas Lights Event runs from 3pm to 8pm. For more information visit www.ourburystedmunds.com.