Counting down to Christmas Lights Switch-On event

This year’s event promises much more than last, with businesses sponsoring trees, roundabouts being decorated, memorial lanterns being hung and hundreds of metres of lights strung across the town’s streets.

It all kicks off tomorrow lunchtime when the Christmas Market is officially opened by the Mayor of Boston Coun Brian Rush, followed by a performance from a local choir.

In the Market Place, entertainment will take place from 4pm.

A spokesman for Boston Borough Council said: “Christmas in Boston arrives tomorrow with a festive fun fiesta.

“It’s going to be a spectacular start to the festive season with new lights and extra Christmas trees.”

This year’s Illuminate Parade, the third such event organised by Transported Art, will this year focus on the themes of hope and betrayal.

The parade, made up of mainly schoolchildren, aims to celebrate the story of the Pilgrims.

The event will involve more than two hundred participants from local schools and community groups, holding lanterns that they have made.

Students from St Thomas’s, Wyberton Primary, Boston West, Wrangle Primary and Giles Academy have been really busy over the last few weeks creating colourful lanterns in the shapes of candles, bird cages, fish and suitcases – along with members of the community who have also created lanterns in open workshops at Fydell House, Boston Guildhall and Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre.

Nick Jones, Transported Programme Director, said: “Our workshops this year have been organised to reach even more people, making sure that the procession is a real reflection of Boston’s blossoming community spirit.

“We are particularly keen for the people we worked with this year to get involved again next year, so they develop their creative skills and the Illuminate procession shines brighter, bigger and better each year.”

The new volunteer group, Christmas in Boston, has been busy fundraising and, with match funding from Boston Town Area Committee.

The lights will be switched on by three children selected from 509 poems entered into a Boston and Me competition organised with the Boston Town Area Committee (BTAC).

The main town tree will have a new location in the Market Place, more central to the eye of those approaching from Town Bridge.

Christmas in Boston committee chairman, Dylan Taylor said: “You can expect to see more Christmas lights and some surprises, depending on which way you are heading into town.

“This has been a great community campaign supported by local businesses and a great platform to build on.”

Over in Pescod Square the festivities start at 5pm and will be taking place until 8pm.

The fun-packed family event includes performances from Blackfriars 2017 pantomime Cinderella and Boston Choir and entertainment from Endeavour Radio including on stage games .

The centre’s very own light switch-on will take place at 7.30pm and this year Fatboy from PJ Masks, Matthew Petley O2 guru, and a family selected from the crowd through an online competition will hit the switch.

A spokesman for Pescod said: “Once again we will have a spectacular Christmas light display and a wonderful atmosphere.”

The festivities don’t end with tomorrow’s event either. A Festive Market is set to take place on Sunday, December 17, from 9.30am to 2.30pm in the Market Place, with visits from the Ice Queen and Jack Frost together with a free showing in the afternoon in the Stump of the festive family favourite film Elf.

Here’s what’s going on and where:

l Noon: Mayor opens the Christmas Market with stalls in the Market Place, Wide Bargate and the Stump and a local choir will perform

l 4pm: Free entertainment starts in the Market Place with a performance of Cinderella by Blackfriars Theatre

l 4pm onwards: Meet Santa in his grotto and free face painting in the Stump

l From 4pm: Free parking in all borough council-owned car parks sponsored by Hoppers Jewellers

l 5pm: ‘Hello Boston’ from Lincs FM and entertainment in the Market Place from singer Kennie J

l 5-8pm: Pescod Square and Oldrids Christmas lights switch-on show with Catboy and SnowGlobe with entertainment from Alan School of Dance, cast of Cinderella, Christmas choir, on-stage prize giveaways

l 5.50pm: Illuminate Parade leaves Central Park bound for the Market Place

l 6.30pm: Christmas In Boston take to the stage for the lights switch-on

l 7.30pm: Pescod Square and Oldrids lights switch-on