Didsbury Christmas Lights Switch On
This information relates to Christmas in Didsbury 2009 - click on the link to the right "Xmas in Didsbury 2011" for up to date information.
December is approaching and that can only mean one thing - the festive season is here. And if there's one thing we can do in Didsbury, it's throw a party...
Wednesday 2 December
Didsbury Village begins the festivities outside Didsbury Library, as local Olympians Andrew Steele [2008 Games] and Alan Geldard [cycling bronze medallist 1948 Games] switch on the Christmas tree lights and sing carols, with the children of St Catherine's. The winner ‘Best Didsbury Traders’ Christmas Window’ competition will be unveiled and afterwards mulled wine and biscuits will be served in Emmanuel Church. This event is organised by Didsbury Civic Society and Didsbury in Bloom.
Thursday 3 December - 7pm
Meanwhile, over in West Didsbury, XmasWestFest kicks off in spectacular style with the switch on of the Christmas lights, by local celebrity author and renowned DJ, Dave Haslam outside The Co-operative on Burton Road.
In Dave's words - "Being involved in helping to launch XmasWestFest is great. I wouldn't like to think how much money I've spent over the years on Burton Road at Steranko, the Lime Tree, Greens, Folk, Silver Apples, and so on. But not out of charity; the independent businesses in this area are of the highest quality, and they give this part of Manchester real personality."
As part of the switch on, the independent businesses on Burton Road, Nell Lane and Lapwing Lane will dim their lights just before 7pm - as Dave Haslam flicks the switch, West Didsbury will light up. A specially commissioned choir for the event, made up of children from Cavendish Primary School, Lancasterian School and The Birches will herald the festive season with a selection of traditional - and not so traditional - Christmas Carols.
After switch on, the XmasWestFest fun begins. Groove to the Gypsies of Bohemia at Silver Apples, sip mulled wine under the palm trees at Folk Cafe Bar, enjoy champagne cocktails at Greens, get out your DJ & head down to the Charity Ball at The Metropolitan, get glammed up at MacleodBradley - or, shop till you drop, late into the evening, at the many independent boutique stores in the area.
For a full breakdown of events across WestFest weekend and details of the Christmas lights switch on, visit the official website - www.westfest.org.uk