Christmas is definitely on the way in Brightlingsea with a host of festive events taking place from this Friday – December 1.
Brightlingsea’s late night shopping event starts off the festive month, with a range of attractions around the town from Friday afternoon.
Coinciding with Late Night Shopping, Living Nativity in St James’ Church from 3.30-7.30pm offers the chance to dress as a nativity character and have a picture or selfie taken in front of the criib. There’s a selection of adult and child costumes for dressing up and there will also be activity tables around the church.
There’s a Christmas Food and Drink Market in Victoria Gardens, with stalls selling food, craft items, charity goods and more, open from 2.30pm – 7.30pm. There are two craft markets taking place, one in the YMCA from 4pm to 8.30pm, and another outside the Kings Head.
Brightlingsea Library is hosting local author Jan Williams, who’ll be reading Christmas stories from 4-4.30pm for up to seven-year-olds, with another session for older children from 4.30-5pm. No booking is necessary.
The front of the Brewers’ Arms pub will be the venue for a variety of musical entertainment. The Women in Harmony choir will perform there from 5-5.30pm, followed by the Brightlingsea Primary School Choir and the Motley Crew from 5.30-6pm, and the Colne Community School Performers from 6-6.30pm. DJ Andy Richards will round off the evening there until 8.30pm.
Other musicians will be performing in the YMCA car park, outside Town & Country and in front of Tutto Bene, while DJ Looney will be spinning tunes outside Lifebcare Mobility. There’ll be games in the Brewers’ Arms car park, Playpals at the Co-op in Station Road and, from 6-8pm, a fire dancer in the town centre.
Father Christmas will put in an appearance in Victoria Place thanks to the Brightlingsea and District Rotary Club, while Mrs Claus can be found in the Courtyard Rooms on the High Street/Richard Avenue corner. There’ll also be stalls in the Courtyard’s forecourt run by budding young entrepreneurs selling clothes, food and crafts.
The Railway Tavern will be switching on the lights around it’s Christmas Tree at 7pm, helped by the Motley Crew who’ll be leading carol singing and performing some traditional wassails.
Brightlingsea Museum will be hosting a Christmas Cheer exhibition featuring work by local artists from 3-8pm on Late Night Shopping evening, with the show continuing over weekends until December 17.
On Sunday, December 3 at 2.45pm, there’s a performance of A Christmas Carol by Anthony Roberts, the director of Colchester Arts Centre, in the Colne Yacht Club to raise money for the Brightlingsea WinterFest Wellbeing Fund and Cancer Research UK. For details, see our calendar.
Follwing the show, The Motley Crew will be singing as Christmas Lights are turned on around the Hard – they’ll be outside the Yacht Club from 5.30pm.
On the same afternoon, the Clacton Concert Orchestra will be performing a Winter Warmer concert in St James’ church from 3pm. Also appearing will be the St James’ Singers and the Brightlingsea Primary School Choir. For information and ticket details, click here.
• Are you running an event in Brightlingsea this December? Add it to the Brightlingsea Calendar on our website and we’ll promote it via our weekly newsletter. Add an event here.
