Christmas in Chester Campaign Gets Underway

The festive season is fast approaching and is set to be better than ever in Chester this year as the city's Christmas in Chester campaign gets underway with a spectacular programme of seasonal events in the city centre and surrounding areas.

The campaign brings together leading visitor experiences and venues across the city to showcase Chester as the small city with a BIG Christmas and begins with Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet enabling shoppers to enjoy late night shopping, with the centre staying open until 9pm on weekdays from this week. There will also be Christmas entertainment every weekend, along with its ever popular annual Christmas Tree lighting event taking place on 12th November to wow shoppers with over 100,000 lights on the iconic tree, there'll be a musical fireworks extravaganza and festive entertainment. Grosvenor Shopping Centre will also be offering late night opening hours for high street shopping and brand new stores, featuring lovely decorations and a stunning tree in its Victorian Arcade, along with a Christmas scene and children's competition. In Paddock Row, there will be three Christmas activity walls for children to win great prizes as well as Christmas floor graphics and an interactive light floor in central square.

Chester's unique Christmas Market will once again be outside the Town Hall from Thursday 19th November to Sunday 20th December with over 70 chalets filled with gift ideas, hot food and a real ale bar. The Christmas Parades are returning with the Light Switch On parade on Thursday 19th November at 7pm. The first parade, coordinated by CH1ChesterBID is set to be a bigger and better experience for visitors to the city this year, themed the 12 days of Christmas, to switch on its Christmas lights. It will be closely followed by the Lantern Parade on 26th November.

The festive fun builds through to December as the famous Coca Cola truck visits Chester city centre for the first time ever and the Snowman also returns to the Cathedral following on from sell-out performances last year. The film will once again be shown on a large screen accompanied by a live professional orchestra. The Parades culminate with the Saturnalia Parade on 17th December where the Roman legion will light up the streets with a torch-lit parade.

Outside of the city centre, at Chester Zoo during the day Father Christmas will be reading stories in Oakfield House, with a gift for every child. CH1ChesterBID will be bringing the childhood magic of Christmas to the city with the return of Chester Kidsmas, a festival of free family friendly activities including an enchanting Santa's Post Office on Northgate Street,Christmas film screenings at the Grosvenor Museum and meet and greets with ChELFie and his new female friend ELFie, who will be giving away free holographic glasses that turn decorative lights into sparkling Christmas Shapes, every weekend from 21st November.

Chester Racecourse will also be helping party goers celebrate the festive season with Party Nights, offering a magical Christmas setting with themed party night bespoke Christmas events.

Anna Roberts, Marketing Manager at Marketing Cheshire which coordinates the city's Christmas in Chester campaign, said: “Chester offers a truly unique and magical Christmas experience and once again this year the city has pulled out all the stops to deliver a programme of festive events and attractions not to be missed. From the Christmas Market to fantastic late night shopping experiences in the city centre and at Cheshire Oaks to spectacular parades, Christmas in Chester is a great celebration of the best of what the city has to offer.” Full details of Chester's Christmas programme of events can be found at www.christmasinchester.com.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Christmas events in Chester include:

Cheshire Oaks Christmas Late Night Shopping

2nd November – 25th December

The festivities continue in the lead up to Christmas, where there are over 145 premium, high street and designer brands for great gifts and winter fashion. From 2nd November shoppers can also enjoy late night shopping as the centre stays open until 9pm on weekdays, plus the centre will come alive with roaming Christmas entertainment every weekend.

Launch of Christmas at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet

12th November

On Thursday 12 November, the UK's largest artificial Christmas tree will be brought to life with over 100,000 twinkling lights as McArthurGlen's Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet launches the Christmas season with its annual switch on event. This year, visitors will be able to marvel at the enormity of the tree from the inside as a magical archway makes it Europe's first walk-in Christmas tree.

Father Christmas Story Time at Chester Zoo

16 November – 24 December 2015

£6.99 per child (the experience is approximately 20 minutes in duration)

Admission to the zoo is not included in your tickets so please ensure you book admission tickets or bring your membership card with you for the day.

Father Christmas will be reading stories in the beautiful Oakfield House during the day before the Lantern Magic event in the evening.

He'll be helping your little ones make a gift for local wildlife, plus every child will get a gift to take home.

The experience will be most enjoyable for those aged under 7. Story time must be booked in advance.

Wild Winter Experience at Chester Zoo

16November – 20th December 2015, for pre-booked groups and schools only.

You'll go on a torchlight walk through the enchanted wood. Hear tales of life in the forest and get the opportunity to learn all about our native woodland creatures.

Then you'll get the chance to meet Father Christmas as he tells stories in Oakfield House. The children will also get a chance to make a Christmas gift for local wildlife.

Chester Christmas Market

Thursday 19th November to Sunday 20th December

With 70 traditional wooden chalets all wrapped around a huge sparkling Christmas tree, shoppers are in for a magical time at the FREE Chester Christmas Market 2015.

Chester Christmas Light Switch On Parade

19th November 2015

A family friendly Christmas parade through the city centre themed around the 12 Days of Christmas leaving from the Town Hall Northgate Street at 7pm.

Late Night Shopping in Chester City Centre

Thursdays from 19th November

Enjoy late night retail therapy in the city with the Market staying open on Thursdays until 8pm and The Grosvenor Shopping Centre and other shops in the city centre staying open late too.

Lantern Parade

26th November 2015

Local school children parade through the streets of Chester with handmade lanterns for the annual Lantern Parade at 7pm from the Town Hall, Northgate Street.

Coca Cola Truck

3rd December

CH1ChesterBID Company has secured the iconic Coca-Cola Christmas truck's arrival in Chester city centre this winter as part of its nationwide tour of UK towns and cities.

On Thursday 3 December, the famous red vehicle will arrive in the city centre on Eastgate Street from 12pm – 8pm for one day only, giving residents and visitors the chance to take pictures with the truck and experience a unique snowy winter wonderland setting.

The Snowman

5th December 2015

This Christmas, The Snowman is making a return visit to the majestic setting of Chester Cathedral, following on from the acclaimed sell-out performances last year. The timeless film will be shown on a large screen accompanied by a live, professional orchestra.

Showings at 12pm, 2pm & 7pm.

Winter Watch Parade

10th & 17th December

Karamba Samba as the 'ghost band' lead a fun parade of skeletons, Christmas cooks, angels and devils as they celebrate the Winter solstice.

Saturnalia Parade

17th December 2015

Chester is back under Roman control for the night as the Roman legion lights up the streets with a torch-lit parade. This traditional Roman event celebrates the feast of Saturn. It was a time of celebration, visits to friends, and gift-giving. It was also traditional for masters and slaves to swap places, making Saturnalia very popular.