A day of festive entertainment is set to be fill Burnham-On-Sea town centre on Saturday, November 20th to mark the grand switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights.
This year’s community event is being overseen by Burnham and Highbridge Town Council with free festive entertainment being organised by both Burnham Chamber of Trade and Burnham Retail Group.
Fair rides will be set up in Victoria Street and the High Street throughout the day, and visitors will also be able to enjoy a festive market and stalls featuring local groups and traders, plus free community entertainment.
A stage outside the Victoria Hotel, run by the Chamber of Trade, will see Burnham community groups, choirs and local schools performing festive entertainment from 12.30pm, leading up to the grand lights switch-on at 6pm to be performed by Mayor Cllr Mike Facey and well-known Somerset ‘Wurzles’ singer Tommy Banner.
Local X-Factor semi-finalist Kezia Povey will be performing a festive line-up of songs live on the stage in Victoria Street at 5.30pm, and there will also be a chance to meet Santa during the afternoon from 3.40pm as he arrives on a train, with gifts for children.
Regional arts group Seed will be organising a lantern parade along the High Street just after 6pm as part of the switch-on activities, encouraging families to get creative by making lanterns as part of the event.
Fairground rides will also be in place along Burnham High Street, opening from 10am, along with pop-up stalls that aim to bring the side street shops onto the High Street to show what the traders have to offer.
“Town Crier Alastair Murray and Burnham Pantomime Society’s colourful acts will wander the event alongside Santa, spreading fun, gifts and festive excitement,” says a spokesman.
“Just after the switch-on at 6pm in Victoria Street, local children will gather for a traditional Lantern Parade along the high street, led by the Town Crier and Santa, with their footsteps setting the high street lights all bright towards the Christmas Tree switch-on in Old Station Approach next to the fountain.”
“Local band River Brew will sing Christmas and cover songs from a stage close to the tree until 9pm with many shops staying open till 7.30pm.”
Visitors are being reminded to stay Covid-safe throughout the day by following safety precautions and guidance on posters at the event.
Road closures on November 20th:
These roads in Burnham-On-Sea town centre will be closed through the day from 6am-10pm to allow the event to go ahead safely:
- Victoria Street: From junction with Princess Street to junction with College Street.
- High Street: Entire Length excluding junctions with Cross Street and Adam Street, where the two roads will remain open for crossing traffic.
- Regent Street: Entire street.
- Princess Street: From Junction with Victoria Street to junction with Princess Arts Centre Car Park.
- Chapel Street: Entire length.
- College Street: From junction with John Street to junction with Oxford Street. Closed as this is a one-way street that only leads to the road closures.
- South Street: Entire Length. Must be closed as this is a one way street that only leads to the road closure.
The following roads will be inaccessible in the day due to the above closures:
- George Street: This road containing no on-street parking and few frontages and will
be inaccessible due to the closures on High Street and Regent Street. - Chapel Street: This road containing no on-street parking and few frontages and will
be inaccessible due to the closures on High Street and Regent Street. - Cottage Row: This road containing on-street parking as well as frontages and will be
inaccessible due to the closures on High Street. - South Street (North Stub): This road containing on-street parking as well as frontages and will be inaccessible due to the one way system and closures on High Street.
- Road leading from High Street to Freemason’s Car Park: This road containing frontages will be inaccessible due to the closures on the High Street.
Organisers say that throughout the entire event access will be maintained for emergency vehicles. Should cars be trapped in a closure area, stewards will be on hand to escort vehicles out using the access kept for emergency access.
