The “breathtaking” Christmas Fayre in Bury St Edmunds, the biggest in the region, is set to launch with a bang this year with the opening night featuring fireworks and live music.
The annual Fayre opens for four days at 4pm on November 27, with the opening specifically for Bury residents.
The Fayre has got bigger and bigger over the years, with around 10,000 visitors expected to come, leading to some suggesting the number of people might be unsafe, an allegation the organisers have refuted.
On offer for the first day will be half price fairground rides, a children’s parade from the Music Sales stage in the Arc, the annual East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices’ carol concert in St Edmundsbury Cathedral at 6pm and the Wattisham Military Wives Choir performing on the Greene King stage, on Angel Hill, from 7pm.
There will be free parking from 3pm and the opening evening will come to a close with a fireworks display in the Abbey Gardens.
The Fayre then continues all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There will be more than 300 Christmas market stalls across eight town centre locations, live music on the two stages and Santa’s Grotto in the floral Abbey Gardens.
Cllr Sarah Stamp, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Leisure, Culture and Heritage, said: “Add into that fun fair rides, face painting, street entertainers, a Christmas bazaar in the cathedral, water walkers, a snow dome, a climbing wall and a Doctor Who exhibition all in the Abbey Gardens, as well as historical stalls and Punch and Judy shows in Moyse’s Hall Museum and it promises to be simply breathtaking festive fun.”
Mark Cordell, chief executive of OurBuryStEdmunds, said: “It is everybody’s favourite time of year once again. The Fayre attracts thousands of visitors from all over the UK.
“It promises to be a busy weekend for all our shops, cafes, restaurants, hotels and other town centre businesses – I for one cannot wait for it to begin.”
Colin Roberts, manager of the Arc shopping centre said: “We are really pleased to be a part of this wonderful four day event. I always see lots of smiling faces around the town during the Christmas Fayre. It has achieved national recognition and is a great family event that showcases how wonderful Bury is.”
For more details visit www.burystedmundschristmasfayre.co.uk
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