Shropshire countdown to Christmas lights events
The countdown to Christmas is well and truly on in Shropshire and Mid Wales with festive lights being switched on across the region this week.
Thousands of people are expected fill
town centre tomorrow for its Christmas Cracker.
The event will take place between 5pm and 7.30pm and will mark the start of late night shopping.
Attractions this year will include a ukulele band and a German Oompah act.
A lantern parade involving children will take place before the switch-on and there will be an appearance by the cast of the town's pantomime Sleeping Beauty. Lanterns for the parade were created at a workshop held at the weekend.
On Thursday, children's TV star Peppa Pig will flick the switch at Telford Town Centre. There will be live acts on stage, as well as Santa's grotto, which will be open until 8pm.
The fun will start at the Ash Grey Car Park at the back of Marks & Spencer at 4pm.
Bridgnorth's switch-on will take place on Friday. This year's event, which will run from 4pm to 9pm, has expanded to include Northgate, High Street and West Castle Street.
The High Street, Whitburn Street and West Castle Street will be closed to traffic with no parking from 1pm to 10pm. Santa will be bringing his reindeer.
Friday will see Oswestry's Christmas lights switched on by mayor Chris Schofield and BBC Radio Shropshire's James Bond at about 5.20pm after an afternoon of musical entertainment.
In Oakengates, the lights will also go on in Market Street and Theatre Square on Friday, with festivities between 3pm and 7.30pm.
Ludlow's 30ft town centre Christmas tree was put up last week ahead of the lights switch-on there on Saturday at 4.30pm, while Market Drayton will be lit up the same night by six-year-old Evie Poole and mayor Tim Beckett at 5pm.
Shifnal's lights will be turned on by Wolverhampton Wanderers' legend Steve Bull, at 6pm on November 29, while in Madeley a parade will be held ahead of the lights going on at 6pm.
The same night Newport's lights will be switched on at 6pm by eight-year-old Thomas Downes, who won a Christmas card competition. Newtown's festive lights will also be switched on at 7pm during an evening of late night shopping at the Bear Lanes centre.
David Wright MP will turn on Dawley's lights on November 30. A lantern parade will take place at 4.30pm with lights on at 5pm. The next day he will switch on Wellington's lights at the Malinslee Centre, between from 3pm to 7pm.
Children can wear festive fancy dress for Welshpool's lighting-up events on December 6.
