FAMILY-FUN and festivities are set to return to Nailsworth once again in a bid to repeat the successes of last year.

Nailsworth Noël will take place on Friday, November 24 and will see live music, more than 50 stalls and all the fun of Christmas return to the town.

Last year saw the return of the festive spectacular after a three-year absence, complete with a vast amount of snow, and the 12-strong Noël committee have been working all year to stage another showstopper.

Committee member Caroline Saturley spoke to the SNJ about what visitors can expect this year.

“We’ll have lots of bands all around the town, children’s choirs and adult choirs, bell ringers and rock bands,” said Caroline.

“Santa is back again, and this year we will also have a children’s Christmas fancy dress parade which starts the evening at 5pm from the fire station and leads to Santa’s grotto and the winter wonderland outside Brutons Home Hardware.

“People taking part are invited to bring a lantern, but no open flames.

“At the library there is a nativity scene set up for families to dress up in costumes to take photos.

“Elsewhere there will be a fair ground, jive classes, Morris dancers, clowns, lots of fake snow, a best-dressed window competition, face-painting and neon lights shining up into the sky.

“We’ll have around 50 stalls with everything you can think of, lots of food stalls – which I think Nailsworth has become known for recently – with so many new shops opening.

“There’ll be lots more car parking this year too, at the Wyevale Garden Centre, as well as opposite it, at and across from Renishaw, there will be shuttle buses running people to and from these car parks, as well as from Forest Green like last year.

“It’s our second year running now after revitalising it last year and because it was such a big success last year we want to do even better.

“Nailsworth is a great place to come and visit, it really is thriving.”

The Saturday after the Noël, (November 25) there will be a much larger market than the usual weekly market, which will also feature Santa along with a variety of festive, food, drinks and craft stalls.

Nailsworth Noel runs from 5pm until around 10pm on Friday, November 24.