Popular Christmas market and fair returns to market town near Lancaster

The festivities will get under way with the town’s well-established Christmas Market and Fair during the first weekend of December.

Events co-ordinator, Matt Sowerby, said: ‘My job this year has been to build on the highly successful Christmas Market of last year. We’re bringing in new attractions, a wider range of entertainment, in fact something for everyone.

"And the whole town is taking part. This year’s theme, Kirkby Lonsdale, A Christmas Story, is about the town coming together to celebrate with a variety of Christmas-themed stories, told through performances, parades, live music, drama – and fun.”

New this year is The Story Project which invites visitors to spot Christmas story characters who have escaped from their books to hide throughout the town.

The market and fair starts on the afternoon of Friday December 1 when the town’s Market Square is transformed for the weekend into a sparkling Chalet Village spotlighting a wide variety of arts, crafts, refreshments and gifts for all ages. There’s also an indoor market at Lunesdale Hall on the Saturday and Sunday.

A Friday highlight will be the big lights switch-on which includes a procession through the town centre starting at 6pm, with the town’s wide variety of independent shops then offering late night shopping.

The town’s hostelries and cafes will be offering food and drink to suit all tastes and budgets.

Plenty will be happening in St Mary’s Parish Church including a bric-a-brac stall, open all weekend, a performance by Sedbergh Junior School Choir on Friday afternoon, with rag tag crafts workshops also not to be missed.

On Saturday and Sunday, there’s an Unwrapping Advent attraction, cuddly Alpacas to pet, the Nativity explained with balloons, elves with crafts and games for young people, and a singalong with the Kirkby Lonsdale Singers.

And Santa will not only be at the big lights switch-on, but you’ll find him in his grotto in St Mary’s churchyard on Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday.

He’ll also be star attraction in the Santa Parade starting from Booths through town on Saturday afternoon, December 2.

On the Sunday, there’s a Santa Dash in Jubilee Park at 9am, all in aid of the Save Ruskin’s View appeal.