Oswestry Christmas Live event turns town into winter wonderland

More than a decade after the late night shopping event was launched the evening proved as popular as ever attracting all ages from sleeping babies to senior citizens.

The town centre streets underwent a remarkable makeover as the roads were closed to build a huge fun fair in the streets.

An ice rink was created in Festival Square along with a music stage on which some of the area's best local bands and musicians performed after music from the Porthywaen Silver Band outside Cae Glas Park gates. Hundreds of teenagers congregated to enjoy an evening designed to appeal to the whole community.

Bailey Street and the Bailey Head were filled with market stalls and more traditional music, from carol singing to music from Prime Percussion were performed in front of the Guildhall.

Street entertainers delighted the crowds and donkey rides proved popular with families.

Santa made an appearance in his grotto inside the Indoor Market, which also remained open throughout the night.

It culminated in a spectacular firework display from within the park, while some pubs also got in on the act with live music and DJ sets.

And throughout the town stores and cafes stayed open to giving people the chance to enjoy Christmas shopping in the market town.

The celebrations culminated in a spectacular firework display from within the park.

The event was organised by Oswestry Town Council and mayor Councillor Martin Bennett, who spent the evening at the event, said he believed the event was one of the best of its kind in Shropshire.

He said: "Christmas Live has grown into one of the largest Christmas celebrations in Shropshire.

"Shropshire Council allowed the closure of Festival Square which meant a loss of income for one of its car parks. It was a great example of partnership working.

"Oswestry Town Council introduced this event nine years ago to help promote Oswestry as a visitor attraction.

"Christmas Live is an evening for people of all ages and gives the shops and many of the cafes the chance to stay open late when the town is full."

"The weather was also very kind to us."

Councillor Bennett was also one of the volunteers to man the Oswestry 2020 stall in the town centre. Scores of people joined in a pin board survey on how they would like to see the town develop over the next eight years.

The Oswestry 2020 group is asking people what facilities they believe the town needs for future generations. They are also looking at ways of caring for the elderly and asking people what they think the priorities should be for money to be spent in the town.

The event was the third major Christmas event to have taken place in the town this year, with thousands of people lining the town's streets last Saturday for the annual Christmas Parade run by the town's Rotary Club, which featured 40 floats.

Heading up the parade were Oswestry fire fighters, followed by a brass band playing Christmas carols, and dozens of community groups.