Festival and late shopping night 

Many of the town centre shops and businesses will be open late and have special offers for the night.

The festival will run from 5pm to 9pm and Market Place, Duke Street, Bell Street and Hart Street will be closed to traffic from 3pm to 11pm.

This year’s centrepiece will be the Christmas lights switch-on at 7pm by Mayor Rory Hunt, the Mayor’s Christmas card design winner Clemmie O’Hanlon, from Trinity Primary School, and special guest, Dame Mary Berry.  

There will be live performances on a stage close to the town hall. Henley Children’s Theatre will give the first performance at 5pm followed by Divas & Dudes, Stageworks, Stagecoach Henley and the Blue Mic Choir.

The children’s lantern parade will then arrive at 6.30pm leaving from the River & Rowing museum.

At 6.40pm the Kenton Theatre pantomime cast will be giving out “Magic Apple” sweets and performing a short skit and songs on the stage ahead of the lights switch-on.

At 7pm the lights on the giant Nordmann fir in Market Place will be switched on.

At 7.10pm the Woodley Concert Band will perform Christmas carols followed by Reading Operatic Society at 7.30pm and 8RAY Music at 8pm.

At 8.30pm music and party band JBMAC will keep the festivities going with a post-event performance at the Cheesy Grape.

Shops will remain open until 9pm, offering special discounts, festive treats and in-store entertainment.

In Bell Street, Stocks will be serving free nibbles and bubbles and Whistles will be offering a 20 per cent discount while the Bull will be giving out complimentary hot chocolate and mince pies.

In Duke Street Gorvett & Stone will be offering tasters of its hot chocolate, Laurence Menswear will be have mulled wine and a magician and Wild and Rust will have an offer on Christmas decorations.

There will be more than 80 stalls, food vendors and fairground rides in the four main streets.

The evening will feature the Enchanted Players Theatre Company as roaming performers to entertain visitors.

Santa’s Grotto will be open at King’s Arms Barn, off King’s Road, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm with a special sensory session with a calmer environment from 4pm to 4.30pm. He will be handing out goody bags, some of which have been donated by Waitrose.

Santa’s helpers will also be collecting  donations for various charities, which will be the Chiltern Centre and the Mayor’s charities — RAF Benevolent Fund, Bluebells Dementia Care Centre, and Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary.

St John Ambulance staff will be stationed at the town hall, which will also serve as the lost child point.