THE FESTIVE season is fast approaching and there will be loads of activities in store for Redcar and Cleveland residents.
The celebration starts on 27 November with the Redcar Lights Switch On and Illumination Parade. The day will begin at 2.30pm with some exciting High Street activity, moving on to the Main Stage Programme at 3.30pm with the Illumination Parade starting at 4pm from the Civic Centre.
This year we are looking for three inspiring residents to turn on the lights during the Christmas Light Switch On and become the Cleveland Christmas Stars. If you know someone – friend, colleague, neighbour – who would go an extra mile for their community, you can nominate them by emailing events@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk and requesting a nomination form. Nominations will close on 13 November and the winners will be revealed the following week.
In a festive display of mass creativity, more than 200 participants from schools and community groups will throng the streets with artwork created with professional artists, including lanterns, costumes and exciting visual spectacles that will light up the route from the Civic Centre to Redcar Town Clock and back again!
The parade will also be decked with professional performers, with the sights, sounds and smells of everything festive whilst being entertained by outstanding musical artist Sisi, as well as Groove Inc for a little bit of soul, funk and Christmas classics, supported by the talents of Tuned In’s young people. The event will be compered by BBC Tees’s Scott Makin.
Renowned ice sculptors Sand in Your Eye will return on 17 December, from 10am to 4pm to place nine amazing ice sculptures across Saltburn, creating a wonderful one-day trail for families to explore. Each sculpture will reveal a secret that you’ll need to find to complete the trail competition. Scrooge and Mr. Scratchit will attend as they travel across the town spreading Christmas cheer. Theatre Illuminaire will bring lamposts to life and Bell and Bullock have travelled back from Victorian Times with their eccentric engineering marvel – a time machine.
Even more Christmas activities for families will take place across the borough:
Panto-themed Christmas - Ormesby Hall – on Fridays and also on 19, 20, 21 & 22 December
Elf Crazy Christmas Crafts - Ormesby Hall – from 11am to 3pm every weekend from 26 November and also on 19, 20, 21 & 22 December
Santa’s Grotto & Christmas Crafts – Flatts Lane Countryside Park – 10th and 11th December 2022
Eston Christmas Market – Thursday, 1 December, from 12pm to 5pm
New Marske Annual Christmas Parade – Friday, 2 December, from 5pm
Saltburn Christmas Parade and Light Switch On – Saturday, 3 December, from 5pm
Family Fun - Redcar High Street – Saturday, 3 December, from 10am to 3pm
Christmas Fair - Liverton Village Hall – Saturday, 3 December, from 10am
Georgian Christmas – Kirkleatham Museum – on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December, from 10am to 3pm
Wreath making workshop - Flatts Lane Countryside Park – on Saturday 3 & 17 and Sunday 4 & 18 December – sessions from 9am, 11.30am and 2.30pm
Santa’s visit at Luke Senior Hall – Loftus – Wednesday, 7 December, from 1pm to 4pm
Marske Christmas Festival, Santa Parade and Craft Fair – Thursday, 8 December
Festive evening - Ormesby Hall – Friday, 9 December, from 6pm to 8pm
Carol service - St Margaret’s Church, Brotton – Sunday, 11 December, at 3.30pm
Beer & Carols – Saltburn – Saturday, 17 December, from 4pm to 7pm
Carol service - Redcar Cemetery – Sunday, 18 December, at 3pm
Carol service - All Saint’s Church, Skelton – Sunday, 18 December
Boxing Day Dip – Redcar – Monday, 26 December
Beauty & the Beast – Redcar – between 27 December and 2 January
Kirkleatham Walled Garden will also host several events and workshops including:
Christmas Fair – Saturday, 12 November, from 11am to 4pm – free entry
Snow Ball – Saturday, 10 December - £40/person
Festive lunch – Sunday, 11 December - £16.95/person
Willow Angels – Friday, 9 December - £25/person
Perfect Pins and Brooches – Saturday, 17 December - £12/person
For prices and details on how to book tickets and for further information on all the events across the Borough please visit Enjoy (redcarcleveland.co.uk)
Cllr Louise Westbury, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Culture, said: “We are very excited to be welcoming back the Christmas Spirit in Redcar and Cleveland and we hope that all the events and activities organised around the area will give all our residents the opportunity to have fun and fully celebrate Christmas. I hope that this period will bring together the communities within our borough so that they can create joyful memories together.
“As we are facing challenging times, we are doing everything in our power to offer our residents the support they need, together with happy moments to spend with their families during this festive moth.”