Next Friday, November 29, Marlborough High Street will be transformed into a festive market leading to the Christmas Lights switch-on at 6.30pm by Marlborough’s Mayor Cllr Kym-Marie Cleasby. There will also be events in St Peter’s throughout the day and evening as well as musical entertainment from the Town Hall steps from 4.45 pm until 7.30pm.
The festive market will run from 10am to 7.30pm There will be no parking in the centre of the High Street from 8 am to allow the festive market to set up and the High Street will close completely at 4pm until 9 pm.
Clare Harris, Deputy Town Clerk, said, “There will be 50 stalls, stretching the length of the High Street, selling gifts, crafts, festive food and drink together with hot food vendors and bars. We are welcoming back old traders but there are also many exciting new stalls. We have a variety street entertainers who will be performing in the High Street from 4.30pm onwards…keep an eye out on our Facebook page next week where we will be posting more info and pics! The Showman’s Guild are supporting us again this year and will be bringing some small children’s rides.”
In St Peter’s Church the café will be open from 10 am and there will activities for children. Father Christmas will be in his grotto from 4-6pm and again after the lights go on. The grotto is FREE and children will receive a little treat. There will be a safe crossing point, managed by St Peter’s staff and volunteers, to ensure the safety of children and their families visiting the grotto. Kim Emery will be performing Christmas Carols on the piano from 4pm-6pm.
Christmas – the real story is being produced by Marlborough’s Mayor Cllr Kym-Marie Cleasby and her consort and husband Rod. It begins with a storyteller on the Town Hall steps at 6.35 pm, followed by a scene outside the Castle and Ball at 7pm, culminating in a nativity and carols at St. Peter’s at 8pm.
Live music on the Town Hall steps begins at 4.45pm. The following groups are performing before the Christmas lights switch-on – Great Bedwyn and Oare Primary Schools, Marlborough Musical Theatre, Ogbourne Primary Choir and Recorders, Marlborough Academy of Dance and Drama.
After the ‘Switch-On’, Jessica Self will be performing followed by acoustic pop duo, Rackham. Jessica Self is just 15 years old and has already performed in the West End. In 2022, she gained celebrity fans such as Alison Hammond and won Vernon Kay’s Talent Nation! Jessica loves musical theatre and can’t wait to bring the West End to Marlborough. Rackham, from Salisbury, specialise in taking well known songs but putting their distinct, folk, toe tapping spin on them.
The Town Council would like to thank the Rotary Club, the Lions and St Peter’s for their support in planning and running the evening.
During the switch-on celebration Nationwide will be handing out mince pies and also encouraging people to buy tickets in their Christmas Raffle which will bring much-needed funds to help the Jubilee Centre.
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