The feeling of excitement began the moment that I approached the centre of Old Town at 3:30pm on Sunday 26th of November.
There had been performances on the stage on Wood Street from 11am from local talent and an array of primary schools had gathered their choirs, children from the age of 4 to 10, dressed from head to toe in tinsel and Christmas hats.
The Christmas themed music lit up wood street and created a Christmassy atmosphere over the whole of Old Town.
What was great to see was how the businesses had got involved.
Charles Harding were handing out hot chocolate and cups of sweets to the passers bar and Young’s, owned by Elaine Young, had opened especially for the occasion.
I had the chance to chat to Elaine Young who commented that the Old Town light switch on had positively effected the shops sales and helped to create publicity for the charming shop.
It was mentioned that they do not normally open on a Sunday, however the addition of this shops opening really enhanced the event as there wasn’t much in the way of stalls selling unique toys and nick-nacks that could make good Christmas gifts.
However, Young’s definitely made up for this with the vast array of bath bombs, toys and decorations for the home.
Outside, on Wood Street, there were stalls selling various types of food and drink. The handy map that had been placed in cafes around old town coming up to event meant that visitors could clearly see where everything was.
Drinks such as Cider, Mulled Wine and Prosecco were being served.
The ‘Prosecco Party’ van (pictured above) was launching its business through the event and found it a very useful way to gain publicity for the future.
The availability of food and drink was perfect for an event that lasted through lunch and the spirits of the visitors were high as the day went on.
There was a ‘Kids Zone’ with characters, provided by skywalkers promotions, such as Rudolf and Frosty the snowman wandering around taking pictures and welcoming the children.
The spirit of those on the stalls was infectious with the elves at the grotto, pictured above, introducing themselves as ‘Chrismas Carole’, on the left, and ‘Nicki Noel’, on the right.
The grotto was fully booked for the day with the children buzzing to meet Father Christmas and by the time that the crowd gathered in wood street for the lights to be turned on at 5pm the excitement was at its peak.
At around 5:15pm the people outside, and the people in the surrounding pubs, began the countdown and cheers erupted as the lights flickered on.
Overall, the light switch on had been a much waited for event for the people of Old Town, with posters covering the town in the lead up, and it definitely lived up to the expectations.
It was a moment of true Christmas spirit and began the new countdown, for the big day itself.
