Get ready for festive market in Sleaford

Organised by Sleaford Town Council, it will run from 11am to 4.30pm and will be opened on stage in the Market Place at 11am by the Mayor of Sleaford and the Sleaford Town Crier, having arrived by horse and carriage.

The mayor will also give out festive medals that Sunday morning at the end of the Junior Parkrun on the recreation ground.

The market will also incorporate the town's Christmas lights switch-on ceremony at 4.15pm and performance by the Lincolnshire Vocal Academy.

The Christmas Market will be held in the Market Place, Eastgate Car Park, Eastgate Green, Navigation Yard and in the Town Hall. There will be other events taking place on the same day including stalls and entertainment in Millstream Square and Bristol Arcade, the Legionnaires Club, Navigation House, Watergate Yard, Our Lady of Good Counsel PTA's fair in White Hart Mews, plus the second day of the Christmas Tree Festival in the Methodist Church on Northgate.

Other attractions include:

Christmas with Chris Clark at Watergate Yard, Sunday 3 December 2pm to 4pm;

Sleaford Salvation Army’s Advent service and toy appeal on Sunday 3 December,10.30am to 11.15am

Mrs Claus at Navigation House in Sleaford on 3 December from 10am to 2pm, with singing and fun while people browse the local goods there.

The Hub’s maker pop-up market and craft workshops on 3 December from 10am.

St Denys' Church in the Market Place will be holding its annual family Christmas Service on the day, from 3.30pm to 4.00pm.

There will be lots to see and do, including live entertainment by acts including The Kilburns, Kesteven Morris, the Rock Choir, Angels Dance squad, Cranwell Military Wives Choir, Everglades and Beyond a Princess. There will be horse and carriage rides, stalls, food and drink, free bouncy castle, games stalls, fair rides, walkabout characters, a stilt-walker and circus performer, free balloon modelling and free face painting! Father Christmas will in his sleigh in the Market Place for most of the day too.

There will be plenty of parking in the car parks at North Kesteven District Council, Money's Yard, Grantham Road, Jermyn Street, Sainsbury's, West Banks, East Banks and Southgate.

Among the stall holders will be the local Labour Party. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has donated a signed copy of his book, Seven Ways to Change the World, as a special prize in the New Year draws for the Kesteven 100 Club, a monthly lottery raising local party campaign funds. You can join the 100 Club at the stall.