Families are invited to kick off the festive season as the Andover Christmas Festival returns to the town centre on Friday 20 November from 4pm to 8pm.
Organised by Test Valley Borough Council, Andover BID and Andover Town Council, the free event will bring festive entertainment, shopping, food and family activities to the town centre.
Visitors can enjoy live performances on two stages in the High Street and Pocket Park, festive market stalls along Bridge Street, food and drink from local traders, fairground rides in Town Mills car park, Santa’s Post Office and face painting in the Chantry Centre, and a host of walkabout performers, community acts and children’s entertainment throughout the town centre.
The much-anticipated Christmas lights switch-on will take place at 6.30pm across the town, with Christmas trees in both the High Street and the Pocket Park this year.
The festival will also see the official opening of Santa’s Post Office in the Chantry Centre’s indoor garden. Children can meet Santa’s elves, write or draw a letter to Santa and post it in a special post box bound for Lapland. Following the festival, the Post Office will open on selected dates until 21 December, giving families plenty of opportunities to send their letters to Santa in the run-up to Christmas.
Councillor Tony Burley, Town Mayor of Andover, said: “The Christmas Festival is always one of the highlights of the year in Andover. It is a wonderful opportunity for residents, families and visitors to come together, enjoy the festive atmosphere and celebrate everything that makes our town special. We are proud to support an event that brings our community together and helps create lasting memories.”
Jessica Kent-Smith, Events Coordinator at Andover BID, added: “In Andover from Andover BID are honoured to be part of the team bringing the start of the festive season to Andover. With spectacular local entertainment, food, funfairs and face painting it’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our town.
“A huge thank you to our fantastic local business sponsors, Pennies Haberdashery, The Kittens Emporium, David Mellor Family Jewellers and Costa Coffee. It’s going to be a brilliant night!”
Councillor Phil North, leader of Test Valley Borough Council, said: “The Christmas Festival marks the start of a packed programme of festive activities across Andover town centre. Working alongside our partners, we’re proud to support events that bring people together, create a vibrant atmosphere and encourage people to spend time in the town centre throughout the festive season.”
Visitors to the festival are encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport where possible, as the town centre is expected to be busy. The High Street and Bridge Street will be closed to vehicles from 10am to 10pm on the day of the event, while Town Mills car park will be closed all day to make space for the fairground rides. All other town centre car parks will remain open as usual, with accessible parking available in George Yard and the Chantry Centre.
The event can get particularly busy between 5.30pm and 6.30pm. To help make the festival as accessible as possible, Koala Community Hub will be open as a quiet space for those who are in need of a calm space to regulate in during the evening’s entertainment.
Toilets will be available at the Chantry Centre multi-storey car park until 8pm, Town Mills car park (including an accessible portaloo), ACE (Andover Community Engage), and through the community toilet scheme at The John Russell Fox and The Redbridge.
The Christmas Festival is kindly sponsored by Costa Coffee, Pennies Haberdashery, The Kittens Emporium and David Mellor Family Jewellers, and proudly supported by Andover Radio and Love Andover. For full details about the Christmas Festival, Santa’s Post Office and Winter in Andover, visit: https://www.thinkandovertowncentre.co.uk/events