Oldham gears up to host alternative Christmas celebrations

Tis the season to ‘still’ be jolly – that’s the message from Oldham Council this Christmas as it prepares to host an alternative festive programme for residents to enjoy.

With Oldham’s much-loved Christmas events sadly unable to go ahead this year because of the Coronavirus pandemic – including its Christmas Lights Switch-On, Reindeer Parade and Brass Monkeys Music Festival – exciting plans are underway as part of the council’s ‘Christmas in Oldham’ campaign to mark the season of good will.

Bringing some much-needed holiday cheer for all over the holidays is Oldham’s seasonal Reindeer Parade Trail which is guaranteed to bring lots of joy across the town centre.

The trail contains 10 specially designed reindeer sculptures from local primary schools, community groups and cultural organisations and will decorate the town’s popular locations until Monday, January 4.

Each five feet high reindeer has its own name and theme too, so be on the lookout for them over the next few weeks and seek to uncover their stories as they travel into Oldham.

This year, Oldham also welcomes the ‘Window Wonderland’ project across the town centre as staff creatively transform a number of café and shop windows into magical winter galleries for all to gaze upon – an unusual art exhibition not to be missed.

Windows in the Spindles and Town Square shopping centres, Tommyfield Market Hall and Gallery Oldham were the chosen canvases for 18 artists across Oldham and Greater Manchester with their displays now ready to be discovered this December and into the New Year.

As part of the project, residents will be able to scan a QR code on every display to uncover the story behind each design and learn more about the designer too.

As they look to lighten up the dark nights across Oldham this Christmas, council staff hope residents will be inspired to enter our ‘Window Wonderland’ competition too by creating their own window displays at home.

The best window entry will be picked at random to win a festive hamper worth £50 that will be stacked full of goodies from some of the most popular Oldham retailers and will be delivered just in time for Christmas.

For guides on how to create your own display and for more details on how to enter the competition, please visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/ChristmasinOldham

The festivities don’t stop there, as Oldham Music Service takes its annual Christmas concert online this year too.

Carols provide the sound of Christmas and this is a great opportunity to support our local musical talent and to feel festive.

Keep an eye on our social media channels and our website for how you can watch it safely from home.

Leader of Oldham Council, Councillor Sean Fielding, said: “As we approach the end of what has been an incredibly tough year for our residents, it is very important to us that everyone in Oldham can still enjoy some much needed festive cheer this Christmas.

“And while we are sadly unable to host our regular large-scale events because of the pandemic this doesn’t mean for one minute that Christmas has been cancelled in Oldham.

“Over the last few months our teams have been working incredibly hard to come up with new and exciting ideas for us all to safely still celebrate this wonderful occasion in some shape or form.

“So we hope our new plans can bring you and your families, new and enjoyable memories.

“May I take this opportunity to remind you as well of how important it is for us all to support our local businesses, especially in the weeks building up to Christmas.

“They are the beating heart of our communities and offer a fantastic range of produce, so think of them first when you’re doing your holiday shopping and shop safely – every pound spent locally makes a huge difference.”

Oldham is a Christmas shoppers’ haven at this time of year with an array of High Street retailers, a shopping mall, independent businesses and a traditional market on our residents’ doorstep.

Residents are just reminded to stay safe and to follow the latest restrictions and guidance on coronavirus when they are out and about doing their shopping.

For the latest Coronavirus restrictions in Oldham, please visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/Coronavirus and for more information on what is taking place across Oldham this Christmas, please visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/ChristmasinOldham

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