Festivities Begin In Longridge
In the run up to Christmas townsfolk and visitors to Longridge will have a fantastic chance to take part in a range of exciting events
Organised by the town’s business group, Love Longridge, this year’s Longridge Does Christmas festivities have been finalised and it’s set to be a great line-up!
LATE NIGHT SHOPPING
Thursday 28th November 5pm – 9pm
The emphasis will be on late night shopping and entertainment at the resident stores and bars.
In the area around the Old Station Buildings on Berry Lane, Santa will arrive to switch on the Christmas lights. Local schools will be singing carols and Longridge Band will start its usual tour of the shops. After the lights have been switched on, Santa will retire to his grotto adjacent to the Old Station Buildings.
Berry Lane School will hold its traditional Christmas Fair.
To many long-established Longridge residents and businesses this will feel like a return to the ‘old-style’ late night shopping event. Some shops will be decorated with elves which will feature in a children’s elf hunt. This is a great opportunity to support the many independent businesses that give Longridge its unique character. These businesses are vital contributors to the town we call home. There is a substantial body of evidence that shows that for every £1 spent with a local business, 68 pence is recycled in the local economy in the form of employment, local taxes and support of local families, charities and community ventures. Just making that one purchase in a local shop, as opposed to a national chain or online giant, can have a much greater impact than you might expect on the place you live. Please support our local businesses if you can.
FOODIE FRIDAY
Friday 29th November 4.30pm – 10pm
Attention switches to the Civic Hall. There will be live music throughout the late afternoon / evening and a food court established in front of the Civic Hall. A variety of food vendors will be present to tempt music lovers and spectators for the tractor parade with a range of food including hog roasts, paella, Thai food and pizzas.
The evening will also see the town’s first ever tractor parade, supported by Longridge Young Farmers. Starting at the Civic Hall, a parade of tractors, decorated in Christmas theme, will tour Longridge and its surrounding villages on a trip of approximately 10 miles, before returning to the Civic Hall where prizes will be presented to the best Christmas-decorated tractor and driver. This should be quite a spectacle!
Resident shops, cafes and bars will operate according to their own schedules throughout Friday.
MARKET DAY
Saturday 30th December 9am – 4pm
Commencing at 9am an artisan market will be established on Towneley Gardens. Resident shops will operate according to their own schedules.
At 10am the starting gun will be fired for two races. There will be a Santa Dash 5k run for the serious athletes and a fun-focused Turkey Tinsel Trot, where fancy dress, prams and pets are encouraged. This will be a much shorter run, or walk, or toddle, of around one and a half miles, with the emphasis very much on fun. Both runs will start and finish at the Civic Hall and the organisers are extremely grateful to Fitness Plus gym on Kestor Lane for its generous sponsorship of both runs. Runners and their families are welcome to stay around Longridge and experience the Christmas atmosphere in the shops, cafes and bars.
Love Longridge hopes that this new three-day programme avoids the ‘crush’ we have seen in recent years, with all activities focused on a sometimes-frenetic Thursday evening. It also hopes the programme will encourage residents and visitors to come to the town more than once.
The Love Longridge business group is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to promote Longridge and its resident businesses, whatever they may be. By organising Longridge Does Christmas, the Longridge Soap Box Derby and other marketing activities the group hopes to grow footfall for the town’s traders.
Love Longridge wishes all residents, businesses and visitors a happy and healthy Christmas.
facebook.com/groups/lovelongridge
