Santa comes to town!
Christmas Grotto in Carlisle’s Old Town Hall
(Date of issue: Monday, 21 November 2011)
Local families are being invited to visit Santa in a magical
grotto in Carlisle’s Tourist Information Centre, based in the Old
Town Hall.
The grotto will officially open on Saturday, 3 December, but a
special preview event has been organised on Thursday, 1 December
for a group of a local schoolchildren.
The children, aged between four and seven years old, from
Rockcliffe CoE Primary school, will get to meet Santa and get first
sight of the new grotto. The preview will be between 5pm and
6pm.
The grotto will then be open every weekend starting from
Saturday, 3 December (11am – 5pm on Saturdays and 11am – 4pm on
Sundays). The grotto will also open every day from Monday, 19
December to Saturday, 24 December (11am – 5pm), expect Thursday, 22
December when opening hours are 11am and 6pm and on Saturday, 24
December when the grotto is open between 11am and 3pm.
Entry is only £3 per child and will include a special Christmas
gift.
Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio holder for Economic Development,
said:
“The Tourist Information Centre is the ideal place to make a
visit this Christmas. Their grotto will be a magical experience for
all families and is yet another reason to visit Carlisle over the
festive period. Not only will the children get to meet Santa, but
they’ll also get a gift too.”
The Christmas Grotto is only one of a host of activities
lined-up to boost the city’s Christmas spirit in the countdown to
Christmas. These include:
- Santa Parade - Father Christmas and his reindeer will be making
a visit to Carlisle on Thursday 24 November when he leads a Santa
Parade through the city streets. His procession will be the finale
of a free fun-packed family event at Carlisle Castle, between
5.45pm and 6.30pm. Entertainment will be held within the Castle
grounds, with the support of English Heritage and the Cumbria’s
Military Museum. The magical Carlisle City Council event has been
organised in partnership with cnevents and will culminate in Santa
leaving the Castle, at 6.30pm. He will then travel on his sleigh
pulled by reindeer across Castle Way and up through Castle
Street.
- Traditional Christmas Market - Carlisle city centre, between 24
- 27 November, with traditional wooden chalet stalls, and a host of
festive gifts, traditional carousel, food and much more.
Entertainment each day. Meet the Walby Reindeer and visit Santa in
his log cabin. Enjoy the Living Nativity in the Cathedral grounds
with live animals and try a spooky tour with costumed guides.
- International Christmas Market - Carlisle city centre, between
7 -11 December. The return of this popular market with its gifts.
Flavours and aromas from all over Continental Europe and beyond.
You will be spoilt for choice with such a wide collection of stalls
and products from Thailand, India, South Africa, France, Germany,
Spain and so many more!
- Christmas Carol Service - Carlisle Cathedral on Thursday, 8
December at 6.15pm. This will be followed by carol singing in the
city centre and a Hog Roast at the Tithe Barn for those who attend
the service.
- Carlisle’s Victorian Covered Market Hall will be transformed
into a winter wonderland on Saturday 10 December when it stages its
Annual Fancy Dress Christmas Party. CFM’s Robbie Dee will be around
between 9.30am -11am, followed by Santa at 11am. There will also be
face painting and entertainment will be provided by Mary the
Faerie. Spend £10, or more, on participating Market Stalls and
receive free entry to the Market Hall Christmas Voucher Draw.
For further information on Carlisle’s Christmas programme, visit
www.discovercarlisle.co.uk