CHRISTMAS is coming and there’s plenty going on in the district.
The festive lights will be switched on in Stratford next Thursday (November 24) at 4.30pm. Christmas markets filled with festive gifts, decorations as well as food and drink will feature in Stratford town centre every Thursday from next week.
Bidford Christmas Light switch on takes place on Sunday November 27.
There will be fire eaters and Morris dancers, carols and mince pies, mulled wine and a hog roast on High Street from 5pm.
Former Brookside stars Leon Lopez and Marji Campi – who played Jerome Johnson and Jessie Hilton respectively – will also make an appearance.
Shipston Rotary Club will host the town’s annual Victorian evening on December 2, from 6pm to 8pm, and a Chistmas market will also be held in Studley on December 2 as part of the festive lights switch on in the village. The market, in the square, will run from 1pm to 8pm and will complement the traditional Christmas Fayre in the village hall from 6.30pm.
A Christmas Bazaar will bring the festive spirit to Henley on Saturday November 26 from 11am to 2pm. Gifts, games, jewellery, books, bric a brac, crafts and more will fill St John’s Church Hall. A tombola and raffle will also feature and refreshments will be available and hot lunches will also be served.
And festive folk can support Save the Children while buying Christmas gifts.
The annual Christmas Fair is at Stratford Town Hall tomorrow (November 19), from 10am to 4pm.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace will transport visitors back to Tudor times with a look at how houses used to be decorated and how the Tudors celebrated Christmas.
On December 3 and 4 Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is inviting people to mark the start of advent in Victorian-style by taking part in pastimes the Hathaway family would have enjoyed. There will also be Christmas story telling and festive biscuit decorating.
People can discover how Christmas has changed in the 400 years since the Halls lived at Hall’s Croft. There is even the chance to become a Tudor fashionista at New Place by dressing like Shakespeare himself with the ‘make and take’ Tudor ruff activity.
Ragley Hall is hosting festive cookery and floral decoration classes until December 5 as well as Christmas group tours and winter garden tours on December 3, 4, 10 and 11, while Compton Verney is celebrating the season with Christmas treats on December 3, 4, 10 and 11.
Stratford Artshouse pantomime Aladdin will fly in from December 14 to 27, and the Orchestra of the Swan will perform a concert entitled ‘Mozart & Moravec’ on December 6.
And Santa Claus is coming to Moreton Morrell Primary School’s Christmas Fayre on Friday November 25 from 5.30pm.
