Yuletide is Upon Us: A month of Eastbourne Festivities

The festive season is well and truly under way, and Eastbourne has plenty on offer for all, this Christmas period. From quaint markets serving up edible delights and hand crafted gifts; to opera, ballet and Rat Pack Christmas classics being performed on theatre stages across Eastbourne. The Sunshine Coast sure knows how to do Christmas, but can we bring snow?

Yes! Well almost. Druisilla’s Park switches on its Winter Wonderland Illuminations at 16.30 on Saturday November 29, transporting visitors to a magical ice-capped Kingdom where penguins and polar bears made of dazzling lights, will be animated for a 20 minute illumination display every day until January 4, perfectly synchronized to festive and pop music. 

Children (and adults) can also meet and hug a Husky dog, Hello Kitty, Santa’s Reindeer, Christmas elves and Santa himself – there really is so much on offer at Drusilla’s this Christmas; it will make the perfect Winters day out for family festivities.

Shopping locally for your Christmas gifts couldn’t be easier, with numerous Christmas markets and crafts fairs dotted around the town. ‘Meads Magic’ in Meads Village is happening from 14.30 this Friday 28 November. As well as the delightful food stalls and unique seasonal gifts, Christmas magic will be brought to Meads in the form of live street music from the Swing Ninjas. Santa will be making another trip to Eastbourne especially for the magical Meads event. 

Another charming corner of Eastbourne, Little Chelsea, will be holding their ‘Little Christmas’ outdoor market on Friday 5 December between 17.30 and 22.00. South Street will be taken over by market stalls, offering more traditional gifts, festive culinary delights, rides and attractions. Various street performers will keep Christmas spirits high with entertainment throughout the entire evening. Real life reindeer will be travelling down from the North Pole with Santa (again) to meet and greet one and all.

For another alternative evening of shopping, the Towner Art Gallery is holding an ‘After Hours Christmas Shopping’ event on Tuesday December 2, 18.00-21.00. You’ll find more unique Christmas treasures for your friends and families gifts, and receive mulled wine and mince pies, complimentary of the gallery.

Visitors to Eastbourne can make a night, a weekend or a whole week of it. There are a number of very welcoming hotels who love to welcome in guests at Christmas, with some brilliant offers on for the festive period. The Langton’s, a Victorian seafront guest house, have 20% off of a three night stay or more until March 30. The Royal is a beautiful and charming hotel with offers on 6 and 7 night stays. All available hotels and B&B’s can be booked online at http://www.visiteastbourne.com/accommodation/

For those that like to keep active, even throughout the gluttonous month of December, the Santa Fun Run and Walk is happening on Sunday December 7. All runners will be decked out in Santa’s suits (he’s a fashion role model), and be rewarded with a mince pie at the end of their promenade run. More details about can be found at www.events.myastheniagravis.co.uk/SantaEastbourne.

The Christmas theatre season is packed out, catering for all musical tastes, and age groups. Classical dance fans will be mesmerised by Russian State Ballet and Opera House productions of Gisele at the Congress on Friday 5 December, and The Nutcracker, a favourite Christmas story, on Saturday 6 December. Beauty and The Beast is the pantomime not to be missed this season, and with a whole month of performances, there is no excuse. See it at the Devonshire Park Theatre between December 12 and January 11. The Rat Pack Big Band will be bringing Sinatra seasonal classics and more hits from 1950’s America, to the Congress on December 23. For a full theatres list and to book tickets visit www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk.

And the grand finale of festivities is the trio of annual free Bandstand concerts. Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day will be celebrated in traditional Eastbourne style at our unique Bandstand. A Christmas vacation in Eastbourne would be incomplete without experiencing at least one of these concerts, if not all. The Eastbourne Silver Band will grace the Bandstand stage on Christmas Day, caroling the morning away. Boxing Day and New Year’s at the Bandstand promises two fun and lively concerts from the Ray Campbell Dance Band, joyfully rounding off Eastbourne’s festive season.

There is no better place to be this December, than the Sunshine Coast – Merry Christmas One and All!

EASTBOURNE’S FAMOUS PANTOMIME IS BEASTLY GOOD FUN!

Eastbourne’s stunning pantomime is the family favourite Beauty and the Beast, at the Devonshire Park Theatre from 12 December until 11 January. With a cast of pure talent and plenty of magical surprises in store it is sure to be the highlight of the season!

Eastbourne favourites Martyn Knight and Tucker return to cause more chaos and calamity with Hollyoaks star Carley Stenson, fresh from her West End roles in Spamalot, Legally Blonde and Shrek making her Eastbourne debut as Malevolent.

Our heroine Belle (Emily Bull) is set to go on a journey of love and adventure which will prove that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. Imprisoned in an enchanted Chateau by a hideous looking beast, her only friends are Dame Derriere (Martyn Knight) and the hapless Potty Pierre (Tucker), but what has happened to the handsome Prince? Will the wicked enchantress’ spell be broken before the last rose petal falls?

Eastbourne’s pantomimes are famed for giving audiences a true live theatre experience, with a full band, beautiful costumes designed and created especially for the show and of course lots of magical onstage effects. And with tickets prices that are far from beastly, priced from just £12, this is a pantomime for everyone to enjoy.

Beauty and the Beast at the Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, from 12 December until 11 January. Tickets priced from £12 to £20 with concessions available, to book or for more information call the box office on 01323 412000 or online www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk.

John Lewis Christmas Advert – What Happened Next….

Following the release of the much anticipated John Lewis Christmas advert this week, VisitEastbourne has launched a follow-on story in a new video jointly produced with local zoo and visitor attraction, Drusillas Park.

The annual festive fight for TV audiences began this week with last year’s favourite, John Lewis, bringing out their 2014 masterpiece featuring Monty the Penguin.

Staff at VisitEastbourne and Drusillas Park were so mesmerised by the magical film that they decided to take the story even further, showing what happens next in a brand new video.

The short video features the little boy and his penguins on a day out to Drusillas Park, where they make new friends and have a whale of a time in the cool penguin pool, along with a tasty lunch of fresh fish.  Realising they are happier in their new home, the little boy waves a sad goodbye, but has a heart-warming surprise in store from the kind Park Keepers. 

Leaving with his new furry friend, the film ends with one very happy boy and the caption ‘give someone the holiday they’ve been dreaming of’.

Drusillas Park is home to a wide range of animals from meerkats and monkeys to lemurs, lorikeets and even red pandas.  Featuring Europe’s only Hello Kitty attraction with three themed rides, a Thomas the Tank Engine train, Eden’s Eye interactive maze and Go Wild and Go Bananas adventure play, the award-winning attraction is a must for visitors to the south coast.

The fun video is just the start of a two month campaign of festive fun in Eastbourne, with Drusillas providing a major highlight in the calendar, with their Winter Wonderland Illuminations from 29 November to 4 January. 

Synchronised to festive music and animations, the display of over 50,000 lights, is turned on daily at 3.30pm to reveal a dazzling display of magical creatures in an ice capped kingdom, which even features penguins.  With further events including Hug a Husky, meet Santa’s Reindeer and a visit to Santa’s Christmas Cottage, the fun-packed programme has fast become a highlight for many families living in and visiting Eastbourne.

To view the video or for more information, visit www.visiteastbourne.com/christmas.  To visit Drusillas Park, book online with their prize squeezer at www.drusillas.co.uk.