Christmas in the city kicks off on Friday 17 November, with the opening of Nottingham Winter Wonderland at 11am.
A new 30-minute festive show will lead up to the switch-on moment, featuring music, lights and special effects. It will be focused on a stage area near the water feature, with spectators along a traffic-free Angel Row.
The choreographed show will be hosted by Dino, Pete and Tyles from Capital FM, who are sponsoring this year’s Winter Wonderland, and will feature Christmas songs sung by the Choir of St Mary’s, Nottingham, a Christmas poem by Nottingham’s first-ever Young Poet Laureate, an appearance by stars from Nottingham Playhouse’s Cinderella pantomime and representatives from Nottingham charity When You Wish Upon a Star, as well as a performance by local pop star Indiana.
Participants in the show will join the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillors Mike Edwards and Glyn Jenkins, to ‘press the plunger’ at 8pm, lighting up Old Market Square’s 40-year-old grand fir tree, the Christmas market and the front of the Council House, officially marking the start of Nottingham’s Christmas festivities.
Afterwards, Winter Wonderland will remain open until 10pm for those eager to get into the festive spirit. Tram and bus services through the Old Market Square will be suspended during the switch-on event – see details below.
This year’s Winter Wonderland will include a stunning 750m2 ice rink surrounding the city’s 60ft Christmas tree, decked out in 4,000 lights, as well as over 60 themed stalls selling Yuletide gifts, including locally produced foods and preserves, local handmade jewellery, glassware and framed comic art.
There will be plenty of festive fayre on offer too, with stalls selling traditional glühwein, pretzels and stollen. Visitors will also be able to warm up with mulled wine or cider and Bailey’s hot chocolate in the brand-new French ski lodge-style bar, Sur la Piste, overlooking the ice rink, as well as the Helter-Skelter Bar, serving festive cocktails, Christmas puddings and hot roast chestnuts.
This year’s Winter Wonderland will also be home to the largest mobile ice bar at any UK Christmas market, where guests can enjoy icy drinks and fantastic Nottingham-themed ice sculptures.
Christmas Lights Switch On
Market Square
Friday 17 November 2017 | 7.30pm