Fun all the way to Christmas

Father Christmas and the panto dame from "Dick Whittington" at the Oldham Coliseum.

SPECTACULAR seasonal celebrations are set to make a cracking Christmas in Oldham town centre.

Free family fun events have been arranged for residents to welcome in Christmas.

Launching the Christmas countdown is Santa’s Christmas Parade on Saturday, November 12, featuring the man himself arriving in the town centre with his reindeer.

Animated creations Wallace and Gromit will help to switch on Oldham’s Christmas Lights on Sunday, November 20, and launch a fantastic fireworks display.

And Mrs Claus’s Christmas Village, which runs from Saturday, December 3, to Sunday, December 18, will feature a tempting array of seasonal fare and gifts as well as street entertainment.

To make sure shoppers do not miss a thing, a Town Centre Christmas events guide, with full listings, is available now to pick up in stores.

The events programme will also feature in a 30-second television commercial to be broadcast on ITV1 across the Granada region Monday to Friday next week. An estimated 900,000 adults will see the television commercial when it is broadcast after “Emmerdale” on Monday.

Councillor Dave Hibbert, cabinet member for housing, transport and regeneration, said: “Christmas is an important trading period for town- centre retailers and I’m sure this outstanding programme of events will attract shoppers and residents who just want to take part in the fun.”

Mark Llewellin, Christmas events artistic director, said: “It’s the biggest events programme that Oldham has ever had and there will be lots of free family fun. Oldham has really pulled out the stops and is emphasising a traditional Christmas with lots of music and colour.”

Panto dame Fine Time Fontayne, who plays Sarah the Cook in this year’s Coliseum show “Dick Whittington”, said: “Our pantomime is the best in the North-West thanks to the great team at the Oldham Coliseum.”

A free-parking scheme will operate over the next few months to boost the town-centre economy in the run-up to — and beyond — the Christmas and New Year trading period.

Shoppers and visitors on will be able to enjoy free parking for a maximum stay of up to three hours on Saturdays, from October 15 until January 14, 2012, at all council-owned town-centre car parks.

“Audiences can expect a shipwreck, a desert island, fantastic songs, and some wonderful and wacky costumes.”

Santa Claus added: “We’re going to have a ho, ho, h-Oldham Christmas this year and I want to meet everyone in the borough no matter their age is.

“I’ll be arriving in spectacular style this year so I want lots of friends to join me on Clegg Street to wave hello.”

The Town Centre Christmas events programme has been organised by the Town Centre Partnership with the Oldham Business Improvement District, Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre, and Oldham Council.

“Not only do we have a national TV advert on Monday, but Christmas kicks off with a real reindeer parade next Saturday, and there is something every week right through to Christmas.”

Claire Phillips, head of marketing at Oldham Coliseum Theatre, said: “Oldham is open for business this Christmas and the Coliseum is a major part of the borough’s culture.

“Our annual panto is well established and one of the best in the region because its traditional with lots of family fun, a great cast, and everyone from the cleaners to the company getting involved.”