Festive fun, live music and special guests for Gainsborough's Marshall’s Yard Christmas Lights Switch On
Marshall’s Yard is getting ready to kick off the festive season in style as the centre prepares for its annual Christmas Lights Switch-On celebration.
The popular event on Sunday, November 15, is set to bring families, friends and the wider Gainsborough community together from noon to 6pm, for an afternoon packed with live entertainment, festive shopping, delicious food and plenty of Christmas cheer.
This year’s special guest, Gainsborough’s very own European Interim BKFC World Champion Rico Franco, will be joining the celebrations to switch on the centre’s Christmas lights at 5pm, officially marking the start of the festive season at Marshall’s Yard.
Visitors can look forward to a fantastic line-up of live entertainment throughout the afternoon, with Gainsborough Musical Theatre Society opening the event with a special performance from the cast of their Wizard of Oz pantomime.
The celebrations will also feature performances from the popular Rock Choir and Bhangra Smash Up Drummers, with the JAXX Band bringing the event to a close.
Families can enjoy a range of activities, including free face painting, Christmas crafting, a traditional carousel, chair-o-planes, hook-a-duck, cork shooter and an inflatable snow globe. Children’s fairground rides will be available from £2 each.
Santa will also be making a special appearance at his festive grotto from 2pm to 5pm, where children can meet Father Christmas for £5 per child, with all proceeds going towards The Dransfield Foundation.
More than 30 festive stalls will be joining the celebrations, offering a fantastic selection of artisan gifts and treats from local traders.
Visitors can also enjoy a tempting selection of festive food and drink, including Yorkshire pudding wraps, German sausages, crepes, and warming festive drinks.
This year’s event is kindly sponsored by STEP Fusion, Wright Vigar, Sills & Betteridge Solicitors Gainsborough and Scunthorpe, and S W Cowley and Co Builders, Joiners & Garden Buildings, whose generous support has helped make the celebrations possible.
Melissa Clement, Centre Manager at Marshall’s Yard, said: “Our Christmas light switch-on is always such a special event and we’re really looking forward to welcoming everyone for another fantastic celebration.
“We’ve got a brilliant line-up of entertainment planned for the whole family, and we’re especially excited to welcome Gainsborough’s very own Rico Franco.
“We’re also incredibly grateful to our local sponsors for their continued support in helping us bring this wonderful community event to life.”