Maidenhead Christmas lights to be switched on this weekend

Maidenhead will fully embrace the festive spirit this weekend as the 2018 Christmas lights are switched on.

The annual switch-on and firework display is set to take place on Saturday at Maidenhead Town Hall in St Ives Road.

High Street, Queen Street and St Ives Road will be closed to traffic to accommodate food and craft stalls. A Christmas funfair with a selection of children’s rides will also be operating.

The festivities will kick off at 11am, with Santa and his helpers setting up inside the Nicholsons Centre until 3pm.

The entertainment will move to St Ives Road at 4pm with performances by Stagecoach, The Tuneless Choir, Bottlekids and the Eagle Claw Kung Fu Lion Dance team.

The switch-on, organised by Enjoy Maidenhead, will be at 6pm, which will be done by the winner of a Norden Farm competition. Fireworks will then be launched from the roof of the Town Hall.

The main sponsors of the event are Advertiser owner The Louis Baylis Trust and the Shanly Foundation, the charitable arm of property developers the Shanly Group.

Tamra Booth, trustee of the Shanly Foundation, said: “We are delighted to support the Maidenhead Christmas lights again.

“We love to support local events, particularly in Maidenhead as it is a town that is close to our hearts and we are proud to be part of an event that is truly special to the community.”

Free weekend parking will be on offer in the town centre from this weekend and in the run-up to Christmas.