More stalls, more crafts, more entertainment……..stallholders are travelling from across the country including Leicester, York, and Chesterfield, as well as a wide range of local vendors. Retford Town Hall will have craft stalls in the Ballroom, Council Chamber and the Buttermarket where there will be a Café supplied by the Mayflower WI. Santa will be in his grotto all afternoon in the Town Hall after saying hello on stage at 12noon.
Around the town two stilt-walking Ice Queens will say hello, Evie the Elf will spread Christmas cheer, the Stormtroopers will be on patrol, Rattlejag Morris will be dancing, and Hathersage Brass band will play some great Christmasssy music. Wonderland Bookshop will be open from 11am to 3pm and will host a book-signing from LD Lapinski who will be signing copies of Stepfather Christmas, the perfect countdown to Christmas book in twenty-five chapters. The Grove Methodist Church will have their Star-studded spectacular and, at 2pm, will include performances from Retford Ukulele Band at 12noon and the Salvation Army Band at 2pm, and St Swithun’s Parish Church Christmas Tree Festival will be open from 3pm to 6pm. The Retford Arts Hub, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Bay Tree Bistro & Bar, Nicole Olivia’s Cake Designs, Ediz’s Kitchen, and The Pottery will be open from 10am to 4pm.
Ten Green Bottles will be open from 9am to 7pm, The Burger Grill from 8am to 6pm and Beer Under the Clock from 10am to 11pm, amongst many, many other great Retford Town Centre businesses.
There will be the usual brilliant line-up on stage following the opening service at 10.30am, with performances from Elizabethan Academy, Sam Adams, Majestic Theatre School, Blue Ice Cheerleaders, Hannah Harris, LCSD Dance Academy, The Performance Hub, Jessica Mary Brett, and the Panto Dame from Beauty and the Beast at the Majestic. There will be a short civic ceremony featuring Bassetlaw District Council Chair, Cllr Debbie Merryweather, and Retford Mayor, Cllr Dan Henderson, and then Santa with his Little Helper will switch on the lights. Entry forms and the entry box for Santa’s Little Helper will be available outside Santa’s Grotto in the Town Hall between 12noon and 3pm.
This year, once the lights have been switched on by Santa’s Little Helper at 5pm, top Elton John-tribute band, Eltonesque, will launch into Step Into Christmas! and go on to entertain everyone until 5.45pm. No fireworks……loads more entertainment……more friendly to animals and children. The market will close at 6pm and members of the public are kindly requested to keep clear of the stalls and equipment whilst they are being dismantled.
Photographs are from previous Retford Christmas Markets.
