Christmas festivals to fill your weekend

Christmas markets have been springing up across Lancashire, and there’s more festive fun on the way with some special festivals this weekend.
The Winter Wonderland Christmas on Preston Flag MarketThe Winter Wonderland Christmas on Preston Flag Market
The Winter Wonderland Christmas on Preston Flag Market

Mulled wine, crafts, food, music and winter activities will help get shoppers in the Christmas spirit across Lancashire’s towns and villages, starting with Preston’s Winter Wonderland, which runs up until to January 4.

Featuring an ice rink, handmade gifts and tasty treats in the flag market, attractions also include a festive fairground with ‘ice road truckers’ and a big wheel, and a heated indoor ‘Merry Monk Tavern’.

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Santa and his reindeers also make an appearance, as well as carol singers and bell-ringers.

In Chorley, Father Christmas will be at Astley Hall every weekend in December, and the town centre will come alive with festive music and entertainment every Saturday in December.

Plus, a magical, talking post box will be making a return to Market Walk for children to post their lists and letters direct to Santa. A festive Ferris wheel is at the Flat Iron car park with Christmas food stalls nearby.

Meanwhile, stalls, food, mulled wine, Santa’s Grotto and merriment galore will take place at Huntley’s Country Stores in Whalley Road, Preston today, December 5.

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Hosted by Hawkshaw Farm, Longsight Road on the A59, the Ribble Valley Christmas Fair is a new festive event organised by the coordinator of the successful Clitheroe Food Festival. It takes place on today and tomorrow, December 5 and 6 and will include seasonal demonstrations from party food, chocolate treats, winter beauty and gift wrapping, to wreaths, Christmas floral displays and cocktails.

Father Christmas will take families on a festive tractor ride to his special barn grotto where he will introduce his baby farm animals, and there will also be street foods, a bar, carol singers, an ice rink, live bands and musicians. Entry is £6.50.

Crafty Vintage late night Christmas markets come to Brockholes Nature Reserve in Preston New Road, Samlesbury, today and tomorrow (Saturday and Sunday). Entry is £2.

The Legacy Rainbow House in Saltpit Lane, Mawdesley, will hold its first Christmas Fair today, December 5, with carols, a brass band, stalls and food. Father Christmas will be in his grotto to welcome the children and there will be donkeys and a Victorian ice cream barrow, whilst parents can get into the Christmas spirit with a glass of mulled wine.

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The grounds of St Catherine’s Hospice in Lostock Hall will be transformed for the Christmas Festival this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday. Attractions will include a giant snow globe, Santa’s grotto, gift stalls, a craft fayre, ice rink, and on the Saturday only, reindeer. The annual fund-raising Santa Dash and Rudolph Rumble take place on the Sunday.

‘Longridge Does Christmas’ on December 5, 6 and 7 for a weekend of festive family fun and Christmas shopping, and the Garstang Victorian Christmas Festival, featuring live bands, singers, stilt walkers, Punch and Judy and Santa’s grotto in High Street, is on December 7 and 8.