Preparations are well underway for the Wilmslow's Christmas lights Switch On which will be carried out by Real Housewife of Cheshire Lauren Simon on Saturday, 25th November.
Wilmslow Town Council, who have taken back the organisation of the event from Wilmslow Business Group, have relocated the event so this year the stage will be set up on South Drive, next to Hoopers.
The reindeers will be at Romany's Garden, opposite the library, from 2pm and the reindeer parade will set off from the library at 4pm. This year the parade will travel along Alderley Service Road from Costa to Sainsbury's before returning to the library. It will not cross Alderley Road or go down Grove Street this year.
Entertainment will start at 3.45pm with performances on stage from Wilmslow Magic Voices, Alderley and Wilmslow Musical Theatre Company, Wilmslow High School Choir and local singer songwriter Drew Selby.
The Christmas lights will be switched on at around 5pm.
At the request of Wilmslow Town Council, Cheshire East Council has made Saturday 25th November one of the allocated free parking days in Wilmslow - to offset the loss of the parking on the service road during the day - so parking will be free from 10am at Spring Street, Sainsbury's, Hoopers and the Rex car parks.
Angela McPake, Chairman of the Wilmslow Town Council Events Group said, "Wilmslow Town Council has taken back responsibility of the switch-on event this year from the Business Group, who had delivered the event in 2016 on our behalf. This event has proved very popular in the past attracting large numbers of visitors and in particular young families with the reindeer always proving a big hit.
"The decision to move the location from Bank Square to South Drive is one that the Town Council thought long and hard about and it will be interesting to see how it works in this new location however we expect it to prove successful and it does significantly reduce the disruption to the roads and reduce the cost of delivering the event.
"We are delighted that this year the main Car Parks ( Spring Street, Sainsbury's, Hoopers and the Rex ) will be free after 10am on the day and hope that people will come in to the town early and take advantage of seeing the reindeer in the daylight by the library from 2pm."
Click here for details on the Handforth Christmas Lights Switch On which is also taking place on Saturday, 25th November.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
a) can't we find someone a bit more like a celebrity?
b) do we really have to vote for and fund a town council that has the time to think long and hard about where to switch on these lights? I suspect Wilmslow has more pressing issues to occupy our intelligencia.
I thought WBG was given the brief for 2 yrs in exchange for a WTC Grant?
I would suggest current arrangements should require CEC to suspend all parking on the service road from 12.00 to 17.00, swamp the area with CEOs and arrange re-location of offending vehicles after 13.00.
Why not ask one of the local school children or volunteers to ‘help’ press the button.
God bless you Mr Scrooge.
I was active in both events. Handforth was delightful but it's low key charity based event was attended by hundreds. Wilmslow's glitzy event by over a thousand. One is not better, they are different. The town council aim to promote their town . Both met their objectives. The rest is hyperbole. The same people saying nothing is perfect.
Ignore the false news all that came enjoyed both and many came to both!
Perhaps the Wilmslow Town Clerk could confirm how much was paid?
Well done to WTC and all those involved.