Sudbury Christmas lights switch-on tonight

Get your skates on and be part of the annual celebrations heralding the start of Christmas in Sudbury.

The Sudbury Christmas Fair and Light Switch On takes place on Friday in the town centre and promises a winter wonderland illuminated by the town’s festive lights.

Among the attractions on offer for visitors will be a synthetic ice skating rink, an inflatable snow globe to bounce about on, fairground rides and a range of stalls both inside St Peter’s Church and outside in North Street and Market Hill.

Father Christmas, complete with sleigh and a couple of trusty reindeer, will also be dropping by, He has found a snug spot to hand out presents to well-behaved children on the night,turning Holmes and Hills Solicitors, in North Street, into his his own personal grotto.

Santa will be there from 5pm, kicking off the evening’s entertainment. The Christmas lights will be officially switched on at 6.30pm by Sudbury Town Mayor Councillor Sarah Page and the winner of her Christmas Card Competition, Grace Hiskett from St Gregory Primary School.

St Peter’s will play an even more focal role in this year’s celebrations with the Christmas Tree set up just outside the 15th Century church. Singers from the Salvation Army and the Sudbury Choral Society will gather around this centre point of the Christmas light show for a programme of carols. Inside, the church will also play host to a Christmas craft fair with mulled wine and mince pies among the treats on offer. There will also be stalls selling Christmas gift ideas outside in North Street, Kings Street and Old Market Place.

Other attractions lined up for the evening include a fun fair, featuring eliminator and cage ride for adults, a cups and saucer ride, bungee trampolines and swing chairs for children as well as various other fairground games. The Phoenix Suffolk Community Marchers will be performing and don’t be surprised if you see Elsa from Frozen and Belle from Beauty and the Beast - or at least people that look just like them - mingling among the crowds.

Town Centre Manager and Event Coordinator Ami Birrell said: ‘It has been both challenging and exciting organising this year’s Christmas fair for the first time, I hope the introduction of real life reindeer and the grotto being in the bright and cozy setting of Holmes and Hills Solicitors will create a realistic and magical experience for visitors.”

What’s on and where

East Street

7pm to 8pm - Phoenix Suffolk Community Marchers, featuring the Stowmarket Boys’ Brigade

8pm to 9pm - have a go at being part of a marching band, with free use of pom poms and drums! The Phoenix Suffolk Community Marchers will be on hand to guide you.

Market Hill

6pm - the Salvation Army Band sing Christmas carols

6.25pm - welcome and lights switch-on by Sudbury Town Mayor Councillor Sarah Page and the winner of her Christmas Card Competition, Grace Hiskett from St Gregory Primary School

6.40pm - the Salvation Army Band singing more Christmas carols

St Peter’s church

6pm to 6,25pm - songs from Sudbury Choral Society

7pm to 7.30pm - songs from Sudbury Choral Society

Christmas Craft Fair

Mulled wine and mince pies

North Street/ Old Market Place

Stalls

Children’s rides

Bungee trampolines

Santa’s Grotto

Meet Santa’s reindeer and Percy the barn owl

On walkabout

Elsa, the Snow Queen from Frozen, and Belle from Beauty and the Beast.