Your guide to Stratford’s Christmas lights switch-on event 2024

CHRISTMAS starts in Stratford this Saturday (16th November) with the switching on of the lights.

Expect the town to be packed with people ready to feel festive and join in the countdown to the switch-on, which will be carried out by the mayor, Cllr Jason Fojtik, with some help from Father Christmas.

But the entertainment will be on offer throughout the day.

A giant snow globe will be open in Henley Street for festive fun photos from 10am, while the main entertainment kicks-off in the afternoon.

From 2pm there will be toy soldiers and fairies gliding round the streets, a polar bear in Bell Court, ice acrobats, a juggler and a fairy stilt walker.

On the main stage, which will be at the top of Bridge Street, school choirs and professional singers will entertain with Christmas classics from 2pm until 5.30pm.

Father Christmas and Mrs Christmas, from Magic Alley, will also be riding through the town on a horsedrawn carriage stopping on Waterside, Wood Street and on High Street. The couple will be in Bell Court between 3.30pm and 4.45pm.

There will be market stalls on Bridge Street and Waterside.

The entertainment wraps up at 6pm.

Merry Christmas… or is it too early for that?