The crowds on Hucknall High StreetThe crowds on Hucknall High Street
The crowds on Hucknall High Street

Thousands flood Hucknall for Christmas Festival to mark start of festive season in town

Festive spirit flooded Hucknall as thousands of people flocked to the town’s Christmas Festival.

Heightened fears around the current Covid-19 situation were put to one side as families turned out in force on Wednesday night.

Stalls and food outlets peppered the High Street, with pubs and cafes joining in with the festivities.

And the whole thing culminated in a countdown, by the chairman of Ashfield District Council, and subsequent switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights.

The centrepieces of the twinkling displays are a pair of giant lit up penguins on the Market Place and a large-scale Christmas tree packed with blue and white lights on the platform outside the Half Moon pub.

While garlands are strung between the flanks of High Street and beyond.

One member of the crowd at the festival said: “With all that is going on in the world, this was a chance to put that behind us, come out and enjoy a taste of the Christmas spirit.

"It’s great to see so many Hucknall people out in the town centre and enjoying themselves.

"After Christmas was destroyed for so many people last year, let’s make the most of it this year in whatever way we can.”

In the run-up to the lights switch-on, there was a full programme of attractions on the Market Place stage, including dance displays from the Sarah Adamson school, Phase One and Believe Academy.

There was also a Michael Buble tribute, a performance from children of the Flying High Academy and sing-a-long to Christmas favourites.

Also on the Market Place was a giant snow globe people could enter, and Hucknall firefighters stationed one of their engines on Baker Street to promote their current ‘12 Days of Christmas’ initiative to collect food in aid of those in need in the town.

Another integral feature – and another element that was scuppered by Covid last year – is the Hucknall Christmas Tree Festival in the parish church.

A spectacular array of trees, albeit truncated from the heights of previous incarnations, are stationed in the church. Decorated by community groups, local organisations and businesses, they are on show up until Saturday (December 4). In addition, Christmas wreaths will go on display on the church railings from December 4-18.