Festive spirit will be flowing in Boroughbridge tonight as the town hosts its annual late-night shopping, Christmas tree lights switch-on and a visit from Santa.
The event, organised Boroughbridge and District Chamber of Trade, will see shops stay open until 8pm.
The night will begin with the official Christmas tree lights switch-on in Hall Square at 5.30pm, followed by carols from three school choirs — Boroughbridge Primary and High School and Roecliffe Primary.
Boroughbridge Lions will host Santa and his sleigh and there will be community stalls, children’s rides and a donkey and miniature horse.
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- Time to sparkle: Your guide to Christmas lights switch-ons across the district
Festive food and drink will include the Scouts’ roast chestnuts and Brighter Boroughbridge’s mulled wine and mince pies stall. There will also be a hog roast.
The shop window display competition theme this year is A Christmas Panto, with entries to be judged tonight,
The lights on the Christmas tree will be switched on by BBC Radio York’s Georgey Spanswick and the Mayor, Sean Hynes.
Chamber president Derek Hufton said:
Time to sparkle: Your guide to Christmas lights switch-ons across the district“Anyone coming along will find the town buzzing.
“There will be lots of great independent shops to browse and buy Christmas gifts from.
“Santa and his sleigh, along with the kids’ rides, will be big attractions to the younger generation. But wrap up warm!”
During the current climate, we all need a bit of sparkle in our lives.
And what better way to inject some festive cheer than switching on the Christmas lights.
Here are the dates for your diary for switch-on events across the district:
Harrogate – Thursday, November 17

The countdown to Christmas in Harrogate will officially get underway this evening, with Harrogate BID flicking the festive switch.
There will be no official switch-on event this year, however Christmas lights around the town centre will start to dazzle for the first time this evening.
The whole town will be illuminated by the weekend.
Ripon – Saturday, November 19

Ripon’s festive season gets into full swing this weekend, with the switch-on of the city’s Christmas lights on Saturday.
The city’s Market Square will be a hive of activity from 1pm, ahead of the lights switch-on, which takes place at 5pm.
The reindeer, which proved popular when they visited Ripon for last year’s event, will be returning with Santa and once again there will be free fairground rides and a climbing wall for children to enjoy.
The Ripon City Council event will also provide free musical entertainment from 2pm.
Knaresborough – Friday, November 25

Boroughbridge – Wednesday, December 7

Santa’s sleigh out and about in Boroughbridge in 2018.
The annual late night Christmas Shopping and lights switch-on event, organised by the town’s Chamber of Trade, will take place on Wednesday, December 7.
The event kicks-off with the official switch-on of the Christmas tree lights in Hall Square at 5.30pm, followed by short performances by school choirs.
Boroughbridge Lions will have Santa and his sleigh on display and there will be children’s rides, along with the Scouts’ roast chestnuts and Brighter Boroughbridge with a mulled wine and mince pies stall. There will also be a hog roast.
The shop window display competition theme this year is “A Christmas Panto”.
The lights on the Christmas tree will be switched on by BBC Radio York’s Georgey Spanswick and the Mayor, Sean Hynes.