Seven weeks of festive fun

OLDHAM is poised to enter seven weeks of Christmas fun and frolics.

The festive revelry starts on the first Saturday in November, when Santa and his reindeer roll into town to herald the countdown to Christmas.

The following weekend will host a Light up the Night Festival, on Sunday, November 15, with free lantern making and fancy-dress making ahead of the big lights switch-on.

The programme continues on Saturday, November 21, with Oldham Goes to Town, a day of festive music, singing, dancing and street entertainment.

And from Saturday, November 28, until Sunday, December 13, Market Place and High Street will be transformed into a magical Santa’s Festive Village.

The fairytale village will enchant young and old alike with an ice rink and specialist festive market, street performers, musicians and favourite children’s entertainment characters.

The weekend of December 12 and 13, “Address of Choice” is a performance from Peshkar Productions based on the views of young people on what makes Oldham home.

While the Saturday before Christmas is reserved for a day of music, Christmas characters and street performers in a Guess Who’s Coming to Town celebration.

The packed programme of events will partner a television advert and the hand-out of more than 500,000 leaflets to encourage people from Oldham and beyond to come and join in the festivities.

Town centre manager Mark Lester said: “A phenomenal amount of behind-the-scenes planning has gone into making sure these events happen on time and safely.

And Councillor Jackie Stanton, deputy leader of Oldham Council, said it would help raise the profile of the town centre, and predicted: “The next seven weeks are going to be great.”