Join in the Festive Spirit....
Published: 29 November 2018
Monmouthshire’s
residents invited to join in county’s festive spirit
28th
November 2018
A
great range of events will take place across Monmouthshire in the approach to
Christmas offering residents and visitors the opportunity to celebrate the festive
season in style!
Caldicot
starts its Christmas Market at 9am on Saturday 1st December with a day of fun,
shopping, music and a treasure hunt while Usk’s popular Christmas Festival
returns the same day, featuring craft and charity stalls, food, drink,
entertainment and music across the weekend. The town’s Christmas lights will be
turned on at 6pm on Saturday evening with the highlight of the festival - the
annual Usk Town Council Reindeer Parade – taking place at 5pm on Sunday 2nd
December.
Abergavenny
offers Christmas in the Courtyard on Saturday 1st December in
the town’s Tithe Barn as over 20 local artists and makers join St Mary’s Priory
Choir, Abergavenny Borough Band and other musicians with warming mulled wine,
cider, mince pies and hot drinks.
Also
on Saturday 1st December is Chepstow’s festive extravaganza with
market stalls from 11am, a free grotto, music and a switch-on of the lights at
6pm by BBC weatherman, Derek Brockway as well as a performance by X Factor
contestant, Russell Jones Jr.
Other
festive events taking place in Monmouthshire include Tintern’s Christmas Craft
Fayre on Sunday 2nd December, Monmouth’s Christmas lantern display on Friday
7th December, a craft fair at Llanfoist Village Hall on Saturday 8th December
and Grosmont’s Winter Market on Saturday 15th December.
A
number of performances will feature over the festive period including a unique
celebratory show of Christmas music from Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band at
Abergavenny’s Borough Theatre on Wednesday 5th December, followed by the
evergreen Andy Fairweather Low and his band, The Low Riders on Friday 7th
December. The Chepstow Male Voice Choir Christmas concert takes place at
the town’s leisure centre on Saturday 15th December with support
from the Allegra Ladies Choir while Wednesday 19th December sees the
launch of the Spontaneous Productions version of popular pantomime Dick
Whittington at Monmouth’s Savoy Theatre. Further performances follow from
Friday 28th December to Wednesday 2nd January.
The
Gwent Branch of the RSPCA offers an evening of Christmas carols and Welsh
humour compered by Radio Wales personality Chris Needs on Saturday 8th December
at the Choir Hall in Caldicot with the audience given the opportunity to join
in the singing. Music will be provided by the Severn Tunnel Brass Band
and award-winning guitarist Chris Moreton.
Throughout
December Monmouthshire County Council will work in partnership with mental
health charity Mind to hold a number of festive crafternoon
sessions. Council staff will work in a variety of locations across the
county to make Christmas decorations while offering a small donation to the
charity to ensure no one experiences a mental health problem alone. Among
the events organised is a Christmas wreath workshop at Abergavenny’s Mardy Park
Resource Centre on Tuesday December 6th. Meanwhile,
Monmouthshire’s Community Learning Team will welcome residents to join fellow
crafters and make amazing Christmas trees out of old books at Abergavenny Youth
and Community Centre on Thursday 6th December from 4pm to 5pm.
For more information or to book a place, contact Jemima - jemimajones@monmouthshire.gov.uk – or telephone 01291
426880.
These
are just some of the many seasonal activities taking place in
Monmouthshire. For more information check out: www.visitmonmouthshire.com/christmas
County
Councillor Bob Greenland, Monmouthshire’s cabinet member with responsibility for
leisure and culture said: “Christmas is a very special time and where better to
spend it than in our lovely county. I wish our residents and visitors a
very Merry Christmas and hope that they join in Monmouthshire’s festive
spirit.”