Light up Shoreham promises late-night shopping, festive fun, live entertainment and a free lantern trail
Shoreham is gearing up for its annual Christmas festivities, filled with fun for all the family.
Light up Shoreham Christmas Market takes place on Friday, December 12, from 3.30pm until 8.30pm, featuring late-night shopping, festive fun and live entertainment across the town centre.
Stalls will line East Street and the Shoreham Centre, businesses across town will be staying open late, there will be a fair in Pond Road and Shoreham Library will be hosting story sessions for the children.
Dan Belton, senior library assistant, said the library was pleased to be involved again after it took part in Light up Shoreham for the first time last year.
He added: "Last year was great fun and a success. We have a number of events planned this year, including staying open to the public to 7pm, two half-hour storytimes at 5pm and 6pm, a bauble colouring competition, a library scavenger hunt, a character hunt around the library and a stall. We will also be on the town children’s trail and bingo trail."
The winners of the bauble competition will be announced at the start of the 6pm storytime.
As darkness falls, lantern sculptures made by Same Sky will light up the churchyard at St Mary de Haura. Working in collaboration with Adur and Worthing Councils, the communty arts charity has created a beautiful illuminations trail everyone can enjoy for free.
Marlipins Museum, in High Street, will be holding its annual Christmas fair as part of the wider celebrations. Running from 1pm to 7.30pm, the fair will include live music, craft stalls, refreshments, mulled cider and fun activities. Entry is free.
There will be an historical film presentation on the outside of the museum, on the wall in Middle Street, from 5pm to 8pm. David Parker, artistic director at Figment Arts, has been working with the museum on Port Stories, a project exploring the history and memories of Shoreham Harbour. He will project a repeating compilation of films from Screen Archive South East, lasting eight to ten minutes and featuring Shoreham Port and Harbour from the 1950s to the 1990s.
A wish tree initiative was launched on November 26, to help families in need of a little extra support this Christmas. The tree in East Street has been decorated with special labels for presents for local children.
People are invited to take a label, buy a present, write on the label to indicate the age and sex of its intended recipient, and deliver the labelled gift by December 15. The drop-off points are Middleton Estates, in High Street, and Oakley, in Brunswick Road. All gifts will be distributed before Christmas Day.