Burnham-On-Sea’s Carnival Queen and her Princesses will be joined by the town’s Mayor and a local radio presenter in switching on the town’s Christmas lights today (Saturday, November 27th).
The annual ceremony will be held outside the Victoria Hotel in Victoria Street during an afternoon of festive entertainment.
The event gets underway at 3pm when pupils from St Andrew’s, St Joseph’s and King Alfred schools will be on stage singing Christmas carols and songs, followed by a festive performance by Burnham’s Curtain Call theatre group.
Santa will arrive from 4.10pm when he’s expected to circulate among the crowds, handing out sweets to children. There will also be face painting plus displays by BARB and Burnham police.
Then, at 5pm, Carnival Queen Anna Kevan and her princesses, Katrina Doyle and Agatha Parrott (pictured), will join Mayor Michael Clarke and Total Star radio presenter Ian Burrage in pushing a plunger to light up the town’s High Street and adjoining streets with dozens of festive illuminations.
Rhonda Mills, Chairman of Burnham’s Chamber of Trade, the group that has organised the switch-on, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “This year’s event will be by, for, and about our wonderful young people. We look forward to welcoming big crowds throughout the afternoon and thank everyone again for their support in making this happen.”
Collections for local good causes will be made by members of Burnham-On-Sea Lions Club throughout the afternoon.
A special outdoor stage will be set-up into Victoria Street by Total Star, whose presenter, Ian Burrage of ‘Ian and Laura’ fame, will be commentating during the afternoon. Victoria Street will be closed to traffic from mid-day.
There were concerns earlier in the year that Burnham’s Christmas lights would not be able to go ahead due to a lack of funding following a cut in grant funding from Sedgemoor District Council.
However, the Town Council increased its financial help to the Chamber Of Trade and a successful fundraiser was also held last week at the Oak Tree Arena, as covered by Burnham-On-Sea.com here.
Our photos show (top) Carnival Queen Anna Kevan and princesses Katrina Doyle and Agatha Parrott; (centre) Santa at last year’s switch-on, and (above) Burnham Chamber of Trade’s Jonathan Walter, Rhonda Mills and Tom Ashton with Total Star’s Ian Burrage
RELATED LINKS:
Burnham Chamber of Trade website
