Burnley’s Christmas events get underway with day of festive fun

Burnley’s festive season got underway in style on Saturday 20th November as the town was transformed into a winter wonderland for a day of Christmas-themed events and activities.

Seasonal characters including Tap Dancing Turkeys and a roaming Reindeer provided entertainment at every turn, while an appearance from Frozen’s Anna and Elsa brought winter cheer.

Face painting and glitter tattoos ensured fun for children on Howe Walk too, and music came courtesy of the energetic Bad Santas who drew smiles as they performed throughout the day.

Burnley Market was also full of Christmas spirit thanks to an action-packed line-up of seasonal fun. This culminated with a light-switch on show which proved a huge hit with families.

The day’s events, which were jointly funded by Burnley Business Improvement District (BID), Burnley Council, Charter Walk and Burnley Markets, signal the start of a series of yuletide activities.

Each Saturday, right up until 18th December, festivities will be taking place to draw footfall into Burnley and provide a boost to businesses in the run up to Christmas.

Visitors will also be able to browse festive stalls at the Christmas Artisan Market on Saturday 4th December, while choirs, a string quartet, a brass band and Santa’s very own grotto will ensure the season of goodwill is in full swing at Burnley Markets over consecutive Saturdays next month.

Burnley BID manager Andrew Dean was delighted with how the first Christmas event went, commenting:  “It was great to see so many smiling faces. Obviously last year we weren’t able to do anything so we’re aiming to bring some festive magic to Burnley for families to experience. I’d urge people to come to our remaining events because there’s so much going on. Of course the more people that shop local the better too, so please visit Burnley and support our amazing businesses.”

Debbie Hernon, Charter Walk Shopping Centre manager, added: “After such a difficult couple of years it’s been fantastic to see the town animated again. We have some fantastic fun and music each Saturday up to Christmas for all of the family.”

Rachel Bayley, Burnley Place brand manager, said: "It's fantastic to see just how much effort has gone into organising this event, especially after the Christmas we all experienced last year. Time after time, Burnley pulls out the stops for its residents and makes sure the activities are affordable if not typically free, varied for all tastes and fun for all the family.

"It's essential we support our local high streets, so we'd encourage residents to head into Burnley town centre over the next few weeks to take part in the festive celebrations. Of course, we welcome those from further afield too. If you do make your way to Burnley, we recommend after your time in the centre, heading to one of our beautiful tourist attractions such as Towneley Hall or the Singing Ringing Tree, or perhaps you'd like to stay for an evening meal in popular restaurants such as Astoria or Palazzo. There are also plenty of places for a cocktail, coffee or glass of wine, including The Corkhouse, Little Barista and The Empire Theatre Bar."

For more information on Burnley’s Christmas events, please head to the Discover Burnley website: https://discoverburnley.co.uk/christmas-in-burnley/.