All day spectacular to launch Yate Christmas festivities and grotto
Date Posted:11/11/2022
A day of spectacular activities will light up the walkways of Yate Shopping Centre on 26th November to kick off the town’s annual Christmas festivities.
Performances including The Rock Choir and D Day Dollies will be on the main stage in front of the Grotto, along with many other free activities and entertainment such as fairground rides and character meet & greets on the day in all four walkways between 11am and 4pm with the traditional lights switch-on around 5pm.
Andrew Lowrey, Yate Shopping Centre Manager, said: “2022 has been a very positive year for the centre, footfall has been increasing every month and we are now close to seeing the same number of visitors as we were pre-pandemic. We have also seen strong interest from new businesses wishing to open stores at Yate with several new retailers due to open over November & December.
“The advent of the Christmas period is a great opportunity for people to get out and support their local shops. There will be no parade this year, instead a busy day of free activities on 26th November with customary lights switch on later in the day. We have already planted out the roundabouts and the dementia friendly planters in the walkways.”
The grotto will open the following day (on 27th) from 10am until 4pm and each successive Saturday and Sunday running through to Christmas week when it will be open more often, closing on Christmas Eve at 1pm. There will be free stickers and certificates for each child on their visit to Santa who will be located outside the Grotto and we are suggesting a contribution of £1 per visit which will go towards our adopted charity, the local Jessie May Children’s Hospice.
Among the activities planned, full details of which are available on the Centre’s website, include character meet & greets; children’s fair rides; face painting; story telling; and a wide range of musical and character acts:
- Salvation Army Band
- D Day Dollies
- Elton Wrong
- Rock choir
- Street Cred
- Postman Pat Santa letter writing with free reply
- Paddington, Elf on the Shelf and Sonic the Hedgehog, Bluey, Peter Rabbit & Ryan from Ryans World
Two of the regular Christmas pop-up shops - What! Christmas and Calendar Club -have both already opened on three month temporary leases at 7-9 West Walk & 13 South Walk.
