Christmas in Colne

COLNE Town Council’s Events Committee is creating a Christmas Extravaganza this year on Saturday, 29th November. Co-opted member, Ashley Sutcliffe of Colne’s Live Like the Boy, is working with Let’s Get Crafty’s, Charlie Bolton, to link Christmas in Colne with the Colne Food Festival.

Events Committee Chair, Cllr. Dorothy Lord said: “The fun will last all day and into the evening, culminating with a torchlight procession headed by Santa in his sleigh. This year, we are inviting youngsters to give Santa their Christmas letters and there will be opportunities to take photos with the great man too! The Christmassy atmosphere will be added to by Pendle Children’s Choir and Pendle Youth Choir leading carols in both St Bartholomew’s and in the Market Hall before a massive firework display to music in the Precinct tops everything off.”

Ashley Sutcliffe commented: “We’ve now attracted 100 stalls for the Food Festival, all of which will be open until 7 p.m., and we have some stand out food offerings. Procter’s Cheese from Chipping, will be selling and offering tasting of their KICK-ASS cheese which is sold in the shape of bombs! The Apothecary will be joining us with their Victorian travelling bar serving mulled wine, cider, festive cocktails and a few surprises… La Dolce Vita is hosting a pasta making workshop. The fantastic Pizza Peddlers will be joining us too. They will be serving delicious, fresh wood fired pizzas from their vintage van called Rowlie. There are so many more highlights, too many to mention. Colne is poised to become Food Central! I just can’t wait!”

Gill Watson, who will be demonstrating and cooking on the day, said, “I will be cooking outside Colne market, cooking up curry, rice, flatbreads and pakoras and giving you a shopping bag with a delicious take away to heat at home.”

There will be a free shuttle bus running between Colne Food Festival and Nelson & Colne College, as they showcase their facilities, as well as having some festive fun of their own with stalls and entertainment.

Programme of Events for 29th November

All day until 7 p.m. Colne Food Festival, including a grand marquee behind The Wallace Hartley and street stalls all over town. The marquee boasts live music through the day.
All day: carousels and kiddies’ rides on the Precinct
All day: Donkey rides in Colne Town Centre
11.30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Darwen Brass Band will be entertaining shoppers
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Face Painting in Ice Dreamz
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Barnoldswick’s Town Crier
Noon – 7 p.m. onwards: Red Rose Chorus barbershop choir will be entertaining shoppers
Noon – 4 p.m. Lancashire Wallopers clog dancers will be entertaining shoppers
2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Face Painting in Shackleton Hall atrium
2 p.m. onwards Teas and coffees in St Bartholomew’s Church
3.30 – 5.30 p.m. Pendle Jazzmen will be entertaining shoppers

The evening’s festivities kick off at 5.30 p.m. when people who wish to be part of the torchlight procession will meet at The Crown in Colne. Everyone is welcome. The parade will co-incide with the switching on of Colne’s Christmas lights. Once the procession reaches St. Bartholomew’s at 5.45 p.m., participants will be welcomed inside for a short service and carols led by Pendle Children’s Choir and Pendle’s Youth Choir. The organisers are asking people to remember to leave their torches outside the church! The Torchlight Procession will reconvene and continue on to the market for more carols.

At 6.45 p.m., the countdown to the firework display in the Precinct begins with festive music favourites. What promises to be a magnificent firework display will begin at 7 p.m.

Road Closures

The Events Committee asks people to clear the area promptly once the fireworks are finished. In order to make the area safe for pedestrians watching the fireworks, Market Street will be closed from Windy Bank to Skipton Road between 6.45 p.m. to 7.15 p.m. Dockray Street will be kept open to allow cars already in Market Street to leave. The Taxi Rank will be suspended during this time too.

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