Christmas Lights-Up 2011
This year’s Lights-Up evening will be packing out the streets of Teddington on Thursday 24th November 2011.
Switching on the lights this time will be the Mayor, Santa and Kellie Shirley (Eastenders Carly Wicks) as Cindarella – currently in rehearsals to play this festive role at Richmond Theatre.
The main programme of events will include:
5.30pm Carol Singing outside Elmfield House, led by the Landmark Choir
6.00pm Switching on of the Christmas Tree Lights at Elmfield House
6.30pm Churches Together in Teddington sing festive songs with Santa in his sleigh helped by the Lions Club elves
Then in each area of the town centre starting with The High Street, for the kids there will be a high street treasure hunt from 4pm (for children up to 16 years old) – pick up your entry forms from La Casa Del Habano, 76 High Street. Santa and his second-favourite mode of transport (a RNLI lifeboat) will be in residence outside the Kings Head from 6:30pm.
VIA will be offering discounts, canapes and champagnes, William Curley will be giving book signings and giving offering chocolate tasting at La Casa Del Habano. Mulled wine, mine pies, competitions, practice tours and dog treats will be available at Vet4life. Teds will be continuing their 21st birthday celebrations with wine, nibbles, sweets and discounts all Thursday/Friday.
In Broad Street Santa’s Grotto will be at Play Inside Out who will also be selling glow-toys for the evening. Hot Christmas drinks will be on sale at Costa Coffee and Teddington School Jazz band will be entertaining the crowds outside Boots. Coffee tasters and have home-baked cookies will be available from Astrora Coffee.
The Causeway will be closed to traffic – Sims Opticians will be offering mince pies and sweets, reindeer rides will be provided by Park Lane Stables from 4-7pm. “Sounds Familiar” will be playing live music in the Causeway too.
Church Road will also host live music from independent musicians and local schools. There will be complimentary wine and Italian appetizers from Al Borgo, homemade mezes, flat bread and traditional soup from Diners Delight, boozy hot drinks and Christmas nibbles from the Nearest Cafe and £5 mini-manicures and live music at Vidatherapy.
This year for the first time there will also be an indoor Fayre inside Teddington Baptist Church 6-9pm which will be decorated with Christmas drawings by Teddington’s children. Dog walkers will be happy to note that dogs will be allowed inside to visit the fayre!
There will be a lot of local businesses packed into the hall including: Best of Richmond, Cakes by Trudi, Cooper Faure, Desi Fontaine (Photographer), Image Happy, Jo Magdalena Jewellery, LBN Interiors, McDonald plumbing, Messy Mittens, Millie Mac, Miss Captain Clothes, Mumpreneurs, Nargis Ahmad Osteopath, Richmond Birth Preparation Services, Simply Skin, Synchronicity, Teddington Business Community, Teddington Midwives, Teddnet, Toto 4 organic, Vie at Home, Teddington Womens Institute.
Full programme of events can be found here.
[Update 22/11/2011] Waterstone’s will be hosting local Children’s author Karen Inglis in store between 5pm and 7pm. She will be reading from and talking about her book ‘The Secret Lake‘, a magical time slip mystery inspired by the Isabella Plantation at Richmond Park. Her book will enchant adventure loving 8-11 year-olds.
My kids are really looking forward to this!