Morpeth Town Council is back with its popular free family fun day and dazzling light switch-on set to kick off the festive season on Saturday, November 14.
From 12pm Bridge Street will come alive. Families can hop on funfair rides, get their faces painted, strike a pose in the snow globe, meet Santa Claus and take part in Morpeth’s festive town trail, all completely free. A selection of festive food vans will also be on hand throughout the day, serving up delicious treats to keep everyone fuelled.
This year’s stage line-up is also bigger than ever with over 200 local children taking part in acts across the day, combined with the fantastic Rock Choir, games throughout the afternoon from host BBC Radio Newcastle’s Matt Bailey and finishing with The Overthinkers in the lead up to the big switch-on.
As always, at 3pm, all eyes will be on Rutherford & Co for their hotly anticipated Christmas window reveal that is widely regarded as one of the best in the region.
Just before 5pm, Santa and the Mayor will take to the stage alongside a lucky competition winner, to push the button and officially light up Morpeth for Christmas. Once the town is glowing, the Ellington Colliery Brass Band will round off the day with that classic heart-warming Christmas sound.
Mayor of Morpeth, Dr Wendy Fail, said: “We welcomed a record number of visitors to our switch-on last year, and are so incredibly proud of how our town celebrations have grown into a calendar staple for so many people from Morpeth and beyond.
“We know how tough it can be for families at this time of year, which is why we work hard to provide as many free activities as possible so that everyone can have a truly magical start to the festive season.
“We’d like to say a huge thank you to our sponsors, to the teams that put this event together and to all of our incredible businesses that work so hard to keep our town thriving.”
Sponsors for the event this year include Pleased to Meet You who have sponsored the face painters; Duncan Clark from NB Clark, who has kindly donated staff time to deliver and install the town’s Christmas tree; and Morpeth Lions for giving up their time to support the event and make sure Santa arrives on his sleigh to meet all the children during the switch-on.
Visitors are encouraged throughout the day to head over to Carlisle Park and enjoy festive treats and tipples at the Pavilion Cafe and Tipi. The spot is the perfect place to enjoy a quieter switch-on as the full park will also come alive with dazzling lights from 5pm.
This year for Morpeth’s festive scavenger hunt, Santa’s elves have fallen head over heels for Morpeth and have quietly moved into shops, cafes and businesses all across the town.
The new Elf Door Trail will send families exploring the town centre in search of tiny elf doors hidden in the windows of participating businesses. The trail launches on the day of the switch-on and runs until Thursday, December 18, giving families plenty of time to track down every elf.
Every completed trail sheet can be exchanged for a free children’s hot chocolate at the Pavilion Cafe, along with entry into a prize draw to win a family Christmas hamper.
The Mayor said: “The Elf Door Trail is a brilliant way to combine festive fun with supporting our local businesses. It’s a free activity that encourages families to explore the town, discover shops they might not have visited before and make some special Christmas memories together.
“Trail sheets can be picked up from The Pavilion, Rutherford & Co and all participating businesses, which will be listed on the Morpeth Town Council social media channels.”
With live music, free family activities, festive food and a sparkling switch-on, the Town Council is inviting everyone to come along and see why Christmas starts in Morpeth.
The full line-up for the day is available on Morpeth Town Council’s social media pages, along with all the latest updates on the event.