Thousands enjoy Shrewsbury Christmas lights event

Shrewsbury’s festive season kick started with a bang as the popular Christmas Cracker event returned, bigger and better than ever.

The switch-on was organised by Shrewsbury Town Council, in partnership with Shrewsbury Shopping Centres, and sponsored by Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID).

Bands, choirs and acoustic acts filled the town with seasonal music to mark the start of late night shopping and the launch of the new Christmas lights display.

The ever-popular lantern parade organised by Maggie Love, Community Co-ordinator for the Shrewsbury Shopping Centres, also made a return. The parade set off from the Darwin Shopping Centre at 6.15pm, and led into the Square for the official countdown at 6.30pm.

Maggie said: “We had a brilliant response again and some of them were really quite grand affairs.

“I have to congratulate all those who took part because they showed a lot of imagination and skill to make this a very special event.”

"The Parade made its way through the Darwin Centre onto Pride Hill and Charlie Ridgway, Manager of Pandora, said: “It was lovely here in the Darwin Centre to see them go past. There were so many children and their parents.

“Everyone was watching the parade and the lights but after that we were pretty busy and the whole evening had a great atmosphere.

“I’m sure that will continue and we’ll have a good time through to Christmas and beyond.”

Switching on the lights this year was the stars of Theatre Severn’s pantomime, Peter Pan, and the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Beverley Baker. Shrewsbury Town Crier Martin Wood was also on hand to help with the countdown.

Alongside the switch on, a stunning visual display the ‘Clockwork Toy Factory’ from new media light artist Andy McKeown was projected onto the Museum and Art Gallery.

The display also saw the debut of the new ‘Christmas in Shrewsbury’ video commissioned by the Shrewsbury BID and produced by filmmaker Aaron Child of Painted Productions.

Santa and his sleigh was also in the Square all evening, courtesy of the Rotary Club of Shawbury & Mid-Shropshire.

Post by shropshirelive.com.