Maryport Christmas lights were switched-on on Saturday 24 November. The Council’s four Christmas trees, (one at Flimby, two at Netherhall Corner, & one with a site kindly provided by Aquarium), are supplied each year by Iggesund. The switch-on was preceded by an afternoon of fun & entertainment for all the family on Senhouse Street, organised by the Town Council.
The Labour Club, which generously made its facilities available to the Council, hosted Santa’s grotto, together with stalls raising funds for local groups & organisations. Santa had a very busy afternoon meeting over two hundred children in his grotto, where they received a goody bag of presents & were able to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas. The Town Council provided plenty of activities for kids to take part in, including face painting, glitter tattoos, & Christmas decoration assembly in the Town Hall, all free of charge, together with fairground rides on the upper part of Senhouse Street. Hot drinks were available, courtesy of Town Council, followed later in the day by mulled wine & mince pies, supplied by the Golden Lion, which proved very popular! Imagination Parties entertained in the Town Hall & ensured the Disney princesses were on hand to join in the fun, which included stage performances from the Young Maryport Amateurs, Maryport Junior School Choir, Lexie Hayton & Evie Harrison, with a magic & entertainment show from BJ Entertainments & some indie pop from Buyers’ Club. The lights were switched on by local school children Thomas Busby, May Lin, Sadie Wilkinson, Zara Thomason, Kacey Mason, Kate Moore, Ava Bethwaite, Rosie Reynolds, Ethan Copeland, Macy Rigg, Georgie, Jamie Holdsworth, Gracie Faith, Francesca Walby, Layla Birks & Ella Ackerley, who had won a Christmas Poetry Competition organised through Maryport Schools Partnership, ably assisted by the Chairman of the Town Council, Peter Kendall. Councillor Kendall & others gave their time to help the event to run smoothly, looking after Santa’s Grotto, organising Crafts & serving refreshments. Well done everyone!