Aylesbury town centre is heralding the start of Christmas on Thursday 14 November with the annual Lights Switch On.
The event will include stage entertainment hosted by Mix 96, which will take place between 5.30pm and 8pm in Aylesbury’s historic Market Square, along with a street food court and a funfair in Kingsbury which will run until 8.30pm. The Christmas lights will be switched on at 7pm and will be followed by a spectacular fireworks display.
Mix96 presenters will be hosting the stage with a variety of great live acts including the winner of Bucks Best School Choir, Thame-based acoustic duo DoubleTone and Mix96 Discovers artist Lydia Singer. House band The Eclectix are back by popular demand and they’ll also be special guest appearances from Belle and Andy Collins from Aylesbury Waterside Theatre’s Beauty and the Beast pantomime.
The performers will be helping to put Aylesbury in a festive mood before they ignite the switch and get Christmas festivities underway.
After the Lights Switch On and fireworks display, visitors will be able to enjoy the fun fair in Kingsbury, which will run until 8.30pm, with a vast range of warming and tasty street food and nibbles.
To help deal with any lost children at the event, parents are asked to collect an ID band for them to wear from the Meeting Point area located at the top of the High Street. Parents will be asked to write their mobile number on the ID band – just in case they get separated from their children. Thames Valley Police also recommend that parents have a photo of their children on their phone.
Also this year, Buckinghamshire Disability Service (BuDS) is supporting the event to help make the Christmas lights switch-on and fireworks more accessible and inclusive for disabled people. BuDS will be staffing a small viewing area for disabled people and providing a quiet room for anyone who needs a break from all the excitement.
Aylesbury Town Centre & Regeneration Manager Diana Fawcett said:
“There are a huge range of Christmas activities happening in Aylesbury across November and December, both for families and shoppers, and the Aylesbury Town Centre Partnership is delighted to be hosting – along with Mix 96 – the phenomenally popular Christmas Lights Switch On event. And please don’t forget about our other exiting festive events with Santa’s Sunday on 24 November and the Christmas Craft & Gift Fair on Sunday 1 December.”