Crowds of festive shoppers are expected in Burnham-On-Sea today (Saturday 7th December) when the town’s first Christmas-themed food festival is held.
The new Christmas festival will celebrate local producers during a large one-day market with added sparkle between 10 and 4pm with street food and entertainment all day.
“The festival will be along Victoria Street, College Street and the High Street and inside at the Methodist and Baptist churches,” says co-organiser Bev Milner Simonds.
“You can expect farmers market favourite like cheese, ales and pies alongside artisan chocolates, gin and charcuterie. All the hot food providers will be offering a low-priced option and there will be lots of vegan, gluten free and other dietary options available. There will also be music, choirs and festive characters.”
The festival organisers have got some new elements alongside the fantastic local producers.
They have distributed thousands of special festive flyers to local schools. These have been produced in partnership with The Hamper Guys and you can exchange the flyer for a free prize ticket at any one of the festive festivals. You will be entered into a draw to win a luxury hamper – delivered in time for Christmas.
You will also be able to snap yourself in a lifesize Christmas card. The team will have some props on hand and you can create your unique card using your ‘phone.
They are also on the lookout for the best Christmas jumper EVER. All you have to do is snap yourself in your jumper at the festival and post it on Twitter, Instagram or the event pages with the #EATMYJUMPER to be in with a chance of winning a very special prize.
“We love bringing the town centre to life for our one-day events and we wanted to spread that cheer into the winter months with these new festivals. Christmas is traditionally a time for feasting and we hope that many visitors with use the festivals as an opportunity to stock up on local produce to share with friends and family.”
“We are also working with the local Foodbank to provide a drop-off point for donations in the Methodist Church for those in the local community who aren’t in a position, for whatever reason, to have enough food on the table at this time of year.”
The team is also launching a new element at the Burnham-On-Sea event – a mobility scooter rally.
Bev adds: “We promised you something ‘wheely’ different this December – and eat:Christmas will incorporate Burnham-On-Sea’s first mobility scooter rally!”
“We design the festivals to be welcoming to everyone, but know that during day to day living sometimes poor design can get in everyone’s way, so we want to take advantage of our road closures and turn over the High Street to those, of all ages, who use mobility scooters.”
“Ride into town on your wheels, park up centrally in the High Street between College and Cross Street (Cafe Beans/Chandni section), admire the other machines and enjoy the festival (on your wheels or not).”