The day began with the Bath Street Christmas Market, featuring crafts, charity stalls, foods, and gifts. Meanwhile, in the Bath Street Performing Area, the Abbey Brass Band added to the atmosphere by playing Christmas Carols.
On the Market Place stage, there were performances from the Abingdon Dance & Fitness Studio, the Marion Flanagan School of Irish Dance, the Amanda Alder Dance Academy, the Strawberry Fayre Majorettes, and the Abingdon Rock Choir.
The Community Shop at 24 Bury Street, run by Girlguiding Abingdon, provided a space for Christmas crafts.
At noon, the parade marched through Abingdon’s town centre led by the Oxford Caledonian Pipe & Drum Band. The parade also contained the other performing groups (mentioned above),
the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers,
The Mayor (Councillor Gabby Barody) and Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council,
and Father Christmas thanks to Abingdon Lions. He went on to sit in his grotto where there was a long queue to see him.
It was a mild and sometimes sunny day but Acreedo Tattoos provided a little snow with the help of a machine.
There was more snow and a reindeer at The Book Store. Next Saturday they have a book signing with Pam Ayres and her book ‘Doggedly Onward: A Life in Poems.’
As the sun set, the crowd watched FREE 4 ALL.
At some time before 6:00 PM the lights were switched-on. I wasn’t there for the actual switch on but got there soon after. I expect Duncan Brown, the MC, did the usual count down 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 and everybody cheered.
FREE 4 ALL then played a lot of well know Christmas pop songs.
The Extravaganza was organised by the Abingdon Events Partnership.
It was a brilliant event. So much to do and see. Well done to the Abingdon Events Partnership and everyone else involved in the organisation.
Also performing on stage and in Bath Street was Accord…..theAbingdon community choir run by Abingdon Music Centre. We meet on Tuesday evening at Thomas Reade School.
FREE 4 ALL played a set before the switch on too. They were great 🙂
The Mayor then did the countdown, just before 6pm. You must have only missed it be a couple of minutes.
Ah yes….the Abingdon events partnership. That nebulous faceless entity which operates without any transparency or information on who they actually are!
They have a website and their company is registered at Companies House, with all directors named. As for being “faceless” – just go along to any of their events and you will find them hard at work!
What a very strange and unpleasant remark.
There’s always one!!!