Nelson lights up for Christmas on Lancashire Day

Monday, 16th November 2009

Categories: Latest News

Nelson town centre will be buzzing with activity on Friday 27^th November.

Between 11am and 3pm we’ll be celebrating Lancashire Day.

Then, at 5.30pm, the town’s Christmas lights will be switched on.

Nelson’s Honorary Town Crier, Councillor Tony Beckett, will use his cries of ‘Oyez! Oyez!’ to start the day’s events in the presence of Her Worshipful the Mayor of Pendle, Councillor Marjorie Adams

Dressed in full costume and in full Lanky dialect flow, Councillor Beckett will read Lancashire’s Charter Proclamation at 11am, and on the hour every hour until 3pm.

Councillor Beckett said :

“I look forward to this event every year.

“I think it’s really important for us to celebrate our heritage, and I’m pleased I can get involved as the Town Crier.”

Lancastrians and newcomers are all welcome to come along and enjoy traditional entertainment.

Children from some local schools will be performing some traditional dancing and acting out plays about Lancashire in Place de Creil.

There will be a Lancashire themed market in the town centre, selling everything from the county’s best black puddings, to delicious Lancashire cheese.

And for the sweet-toothed among us, Nelson’s own Slater’s will be selling their ice cream in the town centre.

There will also be cakes and even jelly babies, which were originally made in Nelson.

The first 1,000 visitors to the Lancashire market will each receive a jute shopping bag.

Also in Nelson town centre, Lancashire Countryside Service will be on how to showing us how to look after our feather friends this winter by making bird boxes – why not come along and make your own?

At the library, you can go back in time to find out what life was like working in the textile industry in the North West, using a special interactive touch screen multimedia box.

Between 10am and 12pm they are running a beginner's family history course for anyone who wants to start researching their family tree. 

Then from 2pm to 4pm there’s a drop-in family history session with representatives from the Lancashire Record Office and Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society for Pendle.

 

Lancashire Day in Pendle has been funded by Pendle Council and Nelson Town Council.

Councillor George Adam, Chair of Nelson Town Council, said :

“I’m proud that Nelson hosts the borough’s Lancashire Day celebrations every year, and the Town Council is more than happy to support the event.”

At 2pm on Lancashire Day The ACE Centre’s cinema is showing ‘Whistle Down The Wind’ (PG).

Filmed in Pendle, the film tells the tale of three Lancashire children who find a criminal hiding out in their barn and come to believe he's Jesus Christ.

To watch the film costs just £5 per person, £4 for concessions.

Or why not treat yourself to a cream tea in the ACE Centre Bistro? Cream tea and a cinema ticket costs £6.

Then the Christmas lights switch-on event will begin at 5pm.

At 5.30pm Her Worshipful the Mayor of Pendle, Councillor Marjorie Adams, and children invited from a number of local schools will flick the switch to light up the town for Christmas.

The large Christmas tree in Place de Creil is decked out with a new star on the top this year, and the new look Market Street will be all lit up with icicle lights too.

At this family event there will be plenty of free seasonal treats, including winter warming hot chestnuts and goody bags, for children and young people.

And Nelson Brass Band will be providing a seasonal soundtrack from 6pm.

Councillor Allan Buck, who represents economic development in Pendle, said:

“This year Nelson is going to look particularly smart, now that work on Market Street is almost complete.

“We always use our Christmas lights switch-on event to encourage shoppers to Nelson to do their Christmas shopping.

“It’s been a tough year for many local retailers, not just in this part of the world, and we’re hoping that Christmas will give business a boost.

“Come to Nelson on Friday 27^th for some good, old fashioned family fun!”

For more information about Lancashire Day and the Nelson Christmas lights switch-on, contact Tourism Manager Vaughan Jones on (01282) 661962 or vaughan.jones@pendle.gov.uk.

For more about events in Pendle, contact the Discover Pendle Centre on (01282) 856186 or go to www.visitpendle.com.

Notes to editors

Lancashire Day celebrates the day in 1295 on which King Edward I allowed the proclamation for Lancashire to be made.

For more information, visit the Friends of Real Lancashire website www.forl.co.uk.