In the Community – Event 17 – Banbury Christmas Lights Switch On and Festive Market

Banbury Christmas Lights Switch On and Festive Market, Banbury Town Centre.

Hosting the Main Stage, our Stewart Green and Ian Fleming, thanks also to our members Brian Baker and Olwen Baker for their help, and of course a special thanks to the Banbury Town Council for inviting us to be part of this event.

Banbury’s youngest-ever Christmas Lights guests had a day to remember at an action-packed switch-on festival on Sunday.

Charlotte Atherton, aged 6, and Emily Barker-Fox, 7, followed in the footsteps of TV stars and local celebrities when they helped town mayor John Colegrave turn on the street decorations.

The event added seasonal sparkle to a dull weather day and the switch-on was a fabulous finale to an occasion that brought Christmas cheer to shoppers and visitors.

The lights festival, organised by Banbury Town Council and sponsored by Castle Quay, included a Christmas market, funfair, Santa’s grotto, food and drink stalls, face painting, dance displays, choirs, live music from local bands, The Social Services and Keyboard Warriors and a firework display.

Charlotte and Emily were the winners of a competition to design Banbury’s official Christmas card.

The finished card, with Charlotte’s Banbury Cross picture on the back and Emily’s Christmas canal boat drawing on the front, will be sent by Cllr Colegrave to civic dignitaries throughout Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties.

Cllr Colegrave said: “The lights festival is always popular and draws huge crowds. It launches Christmas in Banbury and the street illuminations add excitement and seasonal warmth to the atmosphere.”

Charlotte said: “I’d been looking forward to the day and it was really good fun. I thought the fireworks were lovely.”

Emily agreed: “It was great being on stage and seeing the lights come on when we pressed the button.”