PLEASE NOTE Worcester City Council has reluctantly decided to cancel the Christmas Light Switch-on entertainment event on Saturday 23 November due to health and safety concerns relating to the adverse weather conditions. The lights will be now switched on at a suitable point during the weekend, when it is safe to do so.
Worcester will be a hive of activity next month for the city’s traditional Victorian Christmas Fayre and festive lights switch-on.
The Christmas lights will be switched on during an evening of entertainment and fun for all the family in Cathedral Square on Saturday 23 November, between 4pm and 6.30pm.
The popular four-day Victorian Fayre will see the streets filled with almost 200 stalls between Thursday 28 November and Sunday 1 December.
Both events are sponsored by First Bus, who will be providing an enhanced service to the Victorian Fayre.
As part of the lights switch-on, a community lantern parade will leave The Hive at 4pm and arrive in Cathedral square at 4.30pm on 23 November. The packed evening of entertainment will be hosted by BBC Hereford & Worcester, and the lights will be turned on at 6pm.
Due to the switch-on event’s growing popularity, College Street on Deansway will be closed to traffic from 5.30pm until 6.45pm and the bus stop in Cathedral Square will be suspended.
The Mayor of Worcester, Councillor Mel Allcott, said: “Christmas is a particularly magical time of the year in Worcester.
“Dark nights will be lit up as the city glistens with festive lights and the spirit of Christmas fills the air.
“A long-term success, the Victorian Fayre brings visitors in from far and wide and is the perfect opportunity to showcase Worcester. I’m excited to see our Victorian-themed city with all the entertainment, the hospitality, the wares and my personal favourite, the carousel!”
First Bus will provide a cheap and convenient way to visit both Christmas events in Worcester.
Sam Lucker, from First Worcester’s marketing team, said: “Last year’s Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre was a massive hit; not only the event itself which saw thousands enjoy the wonderful festive spirit in the city centre but also for our Park and Ride service, which saw record numbers use the convenient car park and route into the fayre.
“This year we’re doing it all again as proud sponsors of the event. Visitors can enjoy our special group rate ticket for £10, which is only available on the First Bus app between 23 November and 31 December and allows up to five people of any age to travel all day on the Worcester network.
“We will also be enhancing some bus services in the evenings for the Victorian Fayre as well as operating a Park and Ride during the weekend of the event. We’ll also be offering ten Worcester network month tickets as prizes during the city’s Christmas light switch-on on Saturday 23 November.
“More details about what’s on offer in terms of bus services can be found on our website at www.firstbus.co.uk/victorianfayre.”
