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The whole family can celebrate the winter season with a month long programme of free festive fun in Lancaster city centre in the run-up to Christmas.

Winter In The City will start with a fantastic Christmas lights switch on stage show on November 24 to launch the festive season in style, there will then be free family focused fun in the city every Sunday until Christmas.

The stage show will showcase a packed schedule of top local musical acts alongside performances from local dance and performing arts groups featuring local young people.

This day will also see the launch of a trail of snowmen decorated by local schools in the windows of businesses throughout the city.

A mobile Santa's Grotto and snowmen trail will be part of the festivities in Lancaster for Christmas.

The annual Toy Appeal also launches to collect thousands of gifts for local children who would otherwise miss out.

The following Sunday sees the Cairngorm Reindeer bring the magic of Christmas to Lancaster.

The final three weeks of festivities will each see a mobile Santa grotto in the city with different musical and street theatre acts roaming the city centre each week.

Any business with a suitable window which donates £100 or more to the Lancaster BID Winter in The City campaign will be included in the Snowman Trail which runs throughout the festival and will help bring footfall straight to the door.

Festive fun at the Lancaster Christmas lights switch-on event in 2023, with entertainment on stage, headlined by band Toploader. Hundreds of people gathered for the Christmas lights switch-on event at Market Square, Lancaster.

There will be a free printed and online What's On guide for festive events in Lancaster city centre produced.

Lancashire County Council provide funding to community projects across the county through their Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund.

Many city centre events have benefited from previous rounds of funding including a pledge of over £17,000 towards Dino Fest last year.

Funds are awarded through Spacehive to projects which launch a crowd fund campaign and can successfully demonstrate high levels of local support.

The latest round has now launched and you can show your support by making a pledge to projects from just £2.

A spokesman for Lancaster BID said: “Strong festive trading is crucial to the survival of many smaller businesses so it is more important than ever to give shoppers a reason to visit the city centre.”

To donate visit https://www.spacehive.com/winter-in-the-city

New mobile Santa's Grotto and snowmen trail to feature in this year's Lancaster Christmas festivities