BilliFest prepares for family fun

Announcing the news, Billingshurst Community Partnership’s organising committee chair, Ken Johnson, said: “On 3rd December Billingshurst High Street will be home for our BilliFest Family Fun Day and Christmas Fayre.

‘‘This is great news and the move is fully supported by our High Street retailers whose shopfronts face the street, so they too can become very much involved in the festivities.”

Since BilliFest will not now be in Jengers Mead, it means that the Jengers Mead car park will be open as usual for parking.

BilliFest attracts over 1,500 people and this year will kick off at 10am until 3pm on Saturday, 3rd December with stalls in more than 40 gazebos running up the High Street from Sainsbury’s to Jengers Mead.

Just that section will be closed to traffic thus allowing access to the Jengers Mead car park and shops from the north.

Ken said: “Last year we introduced individual gazebos for each stall holder and this was a great success.

‘‘It added to the carnival feeling of the show and gave each of the stall holders more space to display their goods. It will be the perfect place to buy Christmas presents.”

He added: “BilliFest would not be BilliFest without lots of family entertainment and the annual raffle thanks to local donors.

‘‘Prizes include a car for the weekend courtesy of Harwoods, a round of golf for four courtesy of Slinfold Golf Club, and a £50 voucher thanks to Architectural Plants.

‘‘We are also indebted to sponsors FabricaA2Dominion, Lions, and Billingshurst Chamber of Commerce.’’

The children’s Find the Names of the Gnomes hunt will be better still. Some 25 retailers will each host a gnome in their shop windows.

Children just have to find the gnomes and their names by Wednesday, 16th December, and fill in the entry form available from The Library or Santa’s Grotto on the day.

Great prizes include family tickets for ‘Aladdin’ at The Capitol in Horsham, and for Adventures of Peter Pan at The Pavilion Theatre, Worthing. There are also tickets to Drusilla Zoo Park.

The chairman said: “Radio Weald, which is run by the Weald School students, will again be handling our music and public address again.

‘‘And the entertainment includes George on Sax, Lifestyle Fitness ‘join in’ sessions, the Billingshurst Choral Society, the Billingshurst Ukulele Band, Cotillion Sussex folk group, Horsham Boom Tribe Samba Band, Horsham Magog Dancers, Stephen Foster (David Bowie tribute), Rob Nicholl swings, and Punch and Judy. Santa’s grotto will be located in Henry Adams’ historic High Street offices.”

He stressed: “Don’t forget that the BilliFest Santa’s grotto is always free, and every visiting child receives a gift from Santa Claus.”