Stony Stratford Xmas Lights

It was Christmas light switch on time again in Stony Stratford on Saturday 26th November 2011 and this year's event was another fantastic one.

MKFM were there with our Black Panthers taking your photos (check out the gallery below) and Santa himself also put in an appearance on Stony High Street across the day.

There were festive stalls and a fairground  from Keith Emmett plus dancers, buskers and traditional 'Mummers' around the town all day.

The highlight was a Children's Lantern Parade from York House at 4.15pm which made its way into the Market Square in time for the switchon at 5pm.

Stantonbury Campus pantomime cast were strutting about the town in full costume, then providing entertainment on the stage from about 4.30pm in between announcements by the official Stony Stratford Town Crier.

The lights were switched on in Market Square at 5pm live on MKFM on 107FM.

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For more details check out the official Stony Stratford Christmas Lights Website

More Details

Thanks once again to the Stony Stratford Business Association, Stony Stratford Town Council, the traders, the entertainers, and the good people of Stony Stratford, the town will be humming with pleasure at the annual Switch-On & Fun-Day.

There will be the usual (why change a success story?) lively mix of family entertainment, with stalls, dancers, Mummers, musicians, Bernese Carter Dogs, Emmet's fairground, Kevin's pig-&-turkey-roast, hot festive food, welcoming pubs and restaurants, colourful shops joining in the seasonal window display competition and all manner of stuff.

We have a switch-on celebrity this year, in the form of Sam from The Golden Sea Chinese take-away – one of the longest-running businesses in Stony. Our town crier, Malcolm Jones, will oyez you around the town. MKAOS (Stantonbury) pantomime characters will mingle with the crowds and be on stage in the Market Square for a mini-performance Of "The Little Mermaid & The Pirates".

One of the day's crowning glories is, of course, the magnificent Children's Lantern Procession (this year capped at a mere 270 lanterns!), celebrating a "Cartoon Christmas".

Our bright-green, hi-viz Stewards will shepherd people and traffic around; St John's Ambulance will take care of any little accidents, as will the first-aid post, kindly supplied by the new management of The Bull Hotel, and Milton Keynes' finest "specials" will keep a watchful eye to ensure a safe and happy day. The chaps from Wolverton's RockHard will endure the nippy weather to make sure you can hear the switch-on ceremony, emergency announcements, and the musical entertainment.

A special word of thanks goes to the hard- (and long-) working team who sets all the stages, stalls and barriers up, then takes them all down again when the hordes have departed. Thanks, too, to the litter-pickers – unsung heroes.

The timetable:

• SANTA CLAUS in his High Street grotto from 10am
• Stalls on the High Street from 10am
• Fairground in the Market Square from 10am
• Bernese Carter Dogs in Market square from 10am
• Music and dancing and Mummers on the High Street from 11am to 3pm
• Special mini-performances of Stagestruck Youth Theatre's "A Christmas Carol" at
• 1.45pm and 2.30pm
• Children's Lantern Procession leaves York House Centre at 4.15pm
• MKAOS pantomime and Town Crier present the switch-on ceremony from 4.30pm.
• SAM SWITCHES ON AT 5PM .... SHARP!

The entertainers:

• Traditional dancing from Stony Steppers, Rose & Castle, Woad Works, Old Mother Redcaps, and Queen's Oak sides. Mumming from the Stony Stratford Mummers!
• Music by Lee Devine (noon), Roddy Clenaghan (1pm), Craig Papworth (2pm), the Utange Project African drummers (3pm); Social Status (3.30pm).

Photos from last year's event are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katedaviespics/sets/72157625387301603/