Eastbourne will be full of festive fun this December with a month long Christmas events programme of shopping events, free concerts and a winter wonderland of theme park illuminations at Drusillas Park, designed by the ‘King of Christmas Lights’.
Featuring real reindeer, huskies, street markets, cookie decorating, an outdoor town centre performance stage and a wide selection of Santa’s Grotto’s, Eastbourne will celebrate in style, culminating in a free Christmas Day concert at the iconic seafront bandstand.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism & Leisure, Cllr Carolyn Heaps said “This is our busiest programme of Christmas events ever and it is fantastic to see so many businesses working together to put on such a fantastic show for the local community and the many visitors who celebrate their Christmas in the town.”
Kicking off the month long celebration, the Enterprise Shopping Centre open their weekend Santa’s Grotto on 1 December with a Christmas gift fair and complimentary mulled wine, along with the chance to return on 15 December to meet the lovable real reindeer.
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| Real Reindeer at Enterprise Shopping centre |
Santa takes up weekend residence at Sharnfold Farm from 1 December, and at Seven Sisters Country Park Visitor Centre, make lanterns, garlands and Christmas decorations in A Touch of Frost, suitable for children and adults alike.
For craft fans, head to the Redoubt fortress 1 – 2 December to make Victorian inspired Christmas decorations, part of the Eastbourne Christmas Artist Open Houses event taking place across the town.
Nearby Drusillas Park opens up Santa’s Christmas Cottage with the chance to hug a husky and view their brand new Winter Wonderland Illuminations from 1 December – 6 January with over 60,000 lights designed by Channel 4’s ‘King of Christmas Lights’ Paul Toole, in an animal themed display and synchronised to festive music.
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| Winter Wonderland Illuminations at Drusillas Park |
Over 400 Santa’s hit the seafront on 2 December in the annual Santa Fun Run, jingling all the way in a 3 mile jog raising money for charity, and on 4 - 5 and 7 - 8 December, the Russian State Ballet and Opera House bring their magical production of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty to the Congress Theatre.
The weekly Christmas street market continues in Eastbourne town centre every Wednesday from 5 December, and on 6 December, new event Meads Magic in the heart of Meads village celebrates with Santa’s grotto, shopping, Christmas cookie decorating and more. In the town centre, Centre Stage - a brand new outdoor stage featuring live entertainment from 3pm begins, along with mall entertainment in the Arndale Shopping Centre and late night shopping every Thursday until Christmas.
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| Little Chelsea Christmas |
Little Christmas returns to the heart of Little Chelsea on 7 December with fairground rides, Santa’s grotto, real reindeer, treasure trails, hog roast and live music, and in the heart of Eastbourne’s Historic Old Town, HOT Christmas festivities on 8 December include street market, jugglers, choirs, Santa and Christmas crafts.
Over 2,000 primary school children from across East Sussex perform the Great Big Christmas Sing 11 – 13 December at the Congress Theatre, in a fun retelling of the nativity featuring Dinkey the amusing teenage donkey and a frantic Joseph, who late on Christmas Eve has forgotten to buy his present for Mary.
From 13 December to 13 January, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the traditional and highly acclaimed Eastbourne pantomime, starring Bernie Nolan at the Devonshire Park Theatre, this year’s spectacular performance features a fun filled jaunt through the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty.
Santa opens up his grotto at Knockhatch Adventure Park from 15 December each weekend with soft play, quad-a-pillar rides and farm, and at the Congress Theatre on 18 December join Christmas with the Rat Pack and experience the sounds of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin at the famous Sands hotel, featuring seasonal classics such as White Christmas and Baby It’s Cold Outside.
Give the kids a treat the weekend before Christmas and join the Santa Special at Eastbourne Miniature Steam Railway 22 – 23 December with train rides to Santa’s Grotto and festive drinks and mince pies for mums and dads.
On Christmas Day the iconic seafront Bandstand welcomes thousands of festive fans for a pre-dinner treat in a free Christmas Day Bandstand concert, featuring carols and traditional yuletide hits. The first in a triple bill of festive concerts which continue on Boxing Day and New Years Day, the second of which is followed by a Boxing Day Walking Tour at 12.30 and 2.30pm by local tour guide Harry Pope, featuring historical and amusing anecdotes along the way.
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| Christmas Conga at The Bandstand |
Towner, contemporary art museum, celebrate the winter season with their brand new Bon hiver exhibition, running from 1 December until 3 March, including star of the Tate Turbine Hall, Olafur Eliasson, and his installation ‘The Forked Forest Path’.
For more information on all Christmas events, plus opening times and prices, telephone 0871 663 0031 or visit www.visiteastbourne.com.
