VIDEO: Tiverton gets festive with donkey and Dickensian Fayre at light switch on

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By Lewis_Clarke | Sunday, November 28, 2010, 06:49

TIVERTON got festive for the first time this winter season

when a donkey, carols, and Dickensian costume helped switch on the Christmas

Lights.

Hundreds gathered in Fore Street on Friday November 26 to see the mayor Lester

Crocker lead a procession which included Isica the donkey, and members of St

Paul’s Church dressed in Dickensian wear.

At 6 O’clock the lights were switched on, led by town

councillor and lights committee member Colin Slade. He said: “The planning of

course takes months; we have fundraising, and a party of councillors out and

about last weekend putting up Christmas trees, and a lot of us out on the day

making sure everything was going smoothly.

“This is the first time I’ve been involved with the

Christmas lights and I think they’re all very good. I hope everybody has a

really good Christmas, and that they get shopping in the Tiverton community.”

Following the switch on, the procession headed to St Paul’s

Church where stalls were set up selling spicy sausages, artwork, and handmade

cakes. Children from Heathcoat Primary School, and the St Paul’s choir were

singing and there were also games to play such as hoopla and shove

ha'penny

organised by St Paul’s Cub Scouts.

The fayre had been organised by St Paul’s curator Rev Chris Routledge,

and the vicar, Rev Barry Dugmore after coming up with the idea in the summer.

Tiverton’s mayor Lester Crocker opened the fayre and said he

had been looking forward to the event and  that the town had the best Christmas lights

switch on in the country. He added: “I’ll have to look at the film when it’s

online to see how many people were supporting the event. It seemed a huge

crowd.

“People are working very hard and it’s nice when people come

out and support it. The more people support events like this, the more we can

do.”

The evening finished with an outdoors carol concert in the church

grounds, and there was even some snow in the air to add some extra magic.

      

Comments

       
  • Profile image for DerekHerniman

    What a wonderful programme for the switch on of the Christmas Lights in Tiverton this year, A BIG Thank-you for all those involved in anyway.Starting at Lowman Green the procession proceeded through the town lead by the Mayor Lester Crocker and his party followed by the Donkey with Joseph and Mary they proceeded to St Paul's Church in Westexe were the Dickensian Fayre was in full swing with many folk in costume.A number of businesses were open dispensing Mulled Wine, mince pies, etc free of charge. Father Christmas was in the" Easy Life Shop" where hundreds of children and parents enjoyed more hospitality with food wine and free face painting. As the Mayor said we should support the shops which gave so freely and help make the evening the great success that it was.The entertainment and Choirs added to the atmosphere.Well done to you all and keep your town alive.

    By DerekHerniman at 10:05 on 29/11/10

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