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Santa's reindeer set to land at Alton Yuletide Festival

Tuesday 1st of December 2009

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Bumper crowds are expected at what should be the Alton's biggest Yuletide Festival to date on Sunday 6 December.

One of the largest events held in Alton each year, this year's activities are set to stretch well into Normandy Street where reindeer will be landing for the first time ever in the town centre.

While Santa's sleigh-pullers will be posing for photographs, the big man himself will be busy in his magical Grotto at The Assembly Rooms, while outside the ever-popular Nativity Donkeys, one of which nearly jumped over the wall last year, much to the children's delight, will be grazing around the Christmas Tree waiting for you to pay them a visit.

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There is no reason why it should not be possible to do all your Christmas Shopping on the day, with over 100 stalls set to line the High Street from outside M&S right up into Normandy Street. The Assembly Rooms, featuring craft and gift ideas that will suit all tastes and budgets.

The stalls will be interspersed with food stalls brought in to help keep the army of shoppers fed and watered and add to the overall Christmas spirit. 

Funfair rides will occupy Crown Hill, while street entertainers, bands, dancers and carol singers will compliment a traditional fairground organ filling the air with real old-fashioned festive atmosphere and tunes.

Organised by Alton Town Council in conjunction with the Alton Chamber of Commerce and Industry and supported Alton Initiatives Management and EHDC, the event is designed to ensure that Alton remains high on Christmas Shopping destination lists at an all important time of year for town centre businesses.

Town Mayor of Alton Councillor Allan Chick, said: "Christmas is always a very special time in the Alton, enhanced by the lights and all the many lovely shop window displays. While we may not have any big shopping malls, we do have charm, an old-fashioned atmosphere, friendliness and personal service to offer our visitors. 

"The Yuletide Festival is a great opportunity to showcase our wonderful town in a positive light to a much wider audience, who will hopefully discover what we have to offer and come back again.  I am very much looking forward to seeing Altonians there in their droves soaking up the festive atmosphere!"