Thousands of people will descend upon a Suffolk market town for an evening of festive fun which will culminate with the Christmas lights being switched on.

Stowmarket is gearing up for a bumper night of Christmas-themed activities to get people in the spirit for the holiday season, organised by the Stowmarket Town Centre Partnership.

The town’s civic and cultural organisations have all teamed up to provide a variety of attractions on Friday, November 29.

Judy Eden is co-ordinator of St Peter and St Mary’s Church’s Christmas Tree Festival which attracts about 20,000 visitors each year and will be launched on the night.

“People seem to be building on the success of the Christmas Tree Festival. Preparations are ongoing at the church – it looks a bit like a forest until the trees are all decorated by people,” she said.

“The festival is very successful – it has evolved over the years and more and more people want to decorate a tree and more and more people are coming along to see the trees.”

The evening timetable will start from 5pm with acts playing in the Market Place in the town through the night, including the winners of Stowmarket Got’s Talent, Eve Betts and Richard Roebuck.

The Museum of East Anglian Life will be starting its day of activities from 2.30pm and these will include a craft fair and food market.

The church’s will open its doors for the festival at 5.45pm. The Wattisham Military Wives Choir will perform before the lights are turned on at 7.30pm.

The John Peel Centre for Creative Arts will continue the festivities into the evening with a performance from the band, Zoom Club.