Turning on the Christmas lights
Flyer for The Frost Fair, Carshalton
Christmas shoppers will be eased into the festive spirit when twinkling lights go on over the borough in the next few weeks.
Sutton Town Centre will get the party started on Saturday 24 November when the Mayor, Cllr Sean Brennan, will turn on the lights, accompanied by Father Christmas himself.
The lights will go on at 6pm marking the climax of the day’s entertainment which will start at noon and include music, dance and extracts from theatrical festive favourites.
Cllr Jayne McCoy, Chair of Sutton’s Housing, Economy and Business Committee, said: “It is always very special when the Christmas lights go on. From a practical point of view it attracts much-needed business for local traders, but it also helps bring that little bit of magic which makes Christmas such a special time.”
Meanwhile Rose Hill is planning to turn on its lights on Friday 30 November, followed by Carshalton Village the next day. Olympic Gold medallist Joanna Rowsell will get in on the act on 7 December when she will flick the switch to light up Cheam.
Worcester Park will be getting in on the fun with special lighting-up events on 6 and 13 December and North Cheam will get lighter and brighter for Christmas when it switches on its display on 15 December
Carshalton’s event will run alongside the Frost Fair which will centre on Carshalton Ponds and Honeywood Museum from 2-6pm. Both Carshalton’s Christmas lights and the Frost Fair are entirely new events intended to build on the huge success of the Carshalton Swan on the Pond event which celebrated the Olympic torch relay and brought the local community together in the summer.
At the Frost Fair Father Christmas will take his place in a grotto to entertain the children as visitors can enjoy live music and entertainment, including traditional carol singing.
Visitors will also be able to stock up for the yuletide fun ahead at a variety of farmers’ market-style stalls and get the present shopping started at a variety of craft stalls before reviving themselves by tucking into a hog roast or sampling the excellent food and drink available from the museum cafe.