Make Coleraine ‘Your Town’ this Christmas
Wed, November 15, 2017
There’ll be a feast of festive entertainment and fantastic local produce on offer in Coleraine as the countdown to Christmas continues.
The fun begins on Friday 24th November with the switching on of the town’s Christmas lights. There will be music in the Diamond area from 6pm with Beatz Entertainment and carol singing from primary school children before the Christmas Parade winds its way towards the stage through the town. The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Joan Baird OBE will travel with Santa and his Clydesdale horses before the lights go on at 7pm. This will be followed by live entertainment from Dreemz and the opportunity for schoolchildren to meet Santa and receive a small pre-Christmas gift.
Looking ahead to the festive period, the Mayor said: “The Christmas parade is a fantastic sight which is enjoyed by all the family. I’m looking forward to taking part in the event, as Christmas spirit in the town starts to build. Coleraine’s markets, independent and national retailers and great customer service, all contained within a pleasant pedestrian area, make it a great place to visit, so why not make Coleraine ‘Your Town’ this Christmas and enjoy all it has to offer.”
To help you ‘shop local’ this Christmas, there are three opportunities to visit Causeway Speciality Market, beginning on Saturday 25th November from 9am – 4pm. It returns again on December 9th and December 16th with a fantastic range of traders offering shoppers something a little different, from unique gifts to fine foods.
Ian Donaghey, Chair of Coleraine Town Team said: “Coleraine has such a great offer this Christmas including unique festive activities and entertainment and our fantastic Causeway Speciality Market. Coleraine Town Team is asking everyone to think about using your local small businesses especially on Saturday 2nd December as part of the ‘Small Business Saturday’ initiative. We also have late night shopping and Sunday opening right up until Christmas Eve. I would encourage everyone to take the time to visit Coleraine and its array of independent retailers and businesses who offer a wide range of products and services not only at Christmas but right throughout the year.”
As part of its festive activities, Coleraine is offering an exciting experience for children when the ‘The Little Snow Globe’ opens in the Diamond. It will offer a series of festive workshops for 5 – 11 year olds beginning on Saturday 24th November, followed by December 2nd, December 9th and December 16th from 10am - 4pm. A new class will begin on the hour every hour and last 45 minutes. Come along to create, dream, play, imagine, design and have fun in our Winter Wonderland. Booking is essential and can be done online at www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/Christmas.
To complement the shopping offer, there will also be a variety of street entertainment every Saturday from November 25th between 1pm - 3pm. Try and find the ‘Lost Fairy’ or ‘Tony Tinsel Toes’ and look out for those mischievous elves and Okey Dokey – keep your camera ready for a selfie because you just don’t know who you will meet!
Renowned local theatre company Big Telly will add their talent to the Christmas town centre experience by bringing a “Quirky Tale of Quality Streets” to life. Meet the Ring Master at 2pm on the Saturday 16th December at The Diamond and he will bring you on an interactive adventure of riddle and mystery.
Don’t forget that Santa has taken up residence in the Diamond Centre. For details of when to visit his grotto please contact the Diamond Centre on 028 7032 1123.
For further details on all events in the Coleraine area and the rest of the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough pick up your free brochure from various outlets or visit www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/christmas
The festive season will kick off in Coleraine on Friday 24th November.
The Christmas Parade with local school children is a fantastic sight for all the family.