Residents set for county's first Christmas lights switch-on event tomorrow - Market Drayton's Festival of Lights

Market Drayton's Festival of Lights will take place throughout Saturday between 10am and 5pm.

Residents of the north Shropshire town and beyond will flock to Cheshire Street for a day packed with festive fun and activities. 

Mayor Roy Aldcroft will switch on the town's Christmas lights - that include new offerings - at 5pm alongside student at The Grove School Elspeth Talbot, aged 16, who produced artwork for the front cover of the Market Drayton Schools Calendar Project this year.

The town's Christmas tree on Cheshire Street was erected on Monday ready for the switch-on event. It has been donated to the town by Hales Sawmills.

Town councillor's previously voted to provide free parking for the event at Market Drayton's Towers Lawn car parks. The town council picked up a £400 bill from Shropshire Council to provide the free parking. 

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Tim Manton said: "If previous years are anything to go by the town will once again be packed with visitors, not only from Market Drayton but from further afield to enjoy the plethora of Christmas stalls, the children’s entertainments and of course the switch on of the 2024 lights by the Town’s Mayor."

The town's rotary club is providing Santa's grotto at the Town Hall, and there will also be Morris dancing, a brass band, fire eating, donkey and fairground rides, entertainers and much more in a packed town centre brimming with market stalls.