CHRISTMAS is coming and Chippenham has pulled out all the stops this year, turning the town into a Winter Wonderland on November 24, with special guest Lifford Shillingford to switching on the lights.

Chippenham Connected and Chippenham Town Council have organised a spectacular day of festive activities all around the town centre, starting with festive stalls open from 10am, while the main event begins at 1pm across the town centre with a wide range of activities and walkabout characters for the public to enjoy.

The stage goes live at 5.30pm with a range of local acts including Dancing Academy, Clogettes, Xpression Dance and the singing star Lifford Shillingford, who was a golden buzzer act on this year’s Britain’s Got Talent. The on-stage host will be BBC Wiltshire’s Ben Prater and the event will include the traditional Chippenham abseiling Santa and, weather permitting, a firework display to light up the town.

Chippenham-based heating and plumbing company John Williams Heating Services, is sponsoring the event.

“Supporting our local community is of prime importance to us,” said Debbie Williams who with her husband, John, co-founded the family-run business, in 2004. “By sponsoring Chippenham’s Winter Wonderland Festival, which promises to be not only the biggest but best Christmas fun event Chippenham has seen, we are playing our part in ensuring residents have a great opportunity to enter into the festive spirit."

The Chippenham Winter Wonderland Festival runs from 1pm until 8pm, with activities throughout the town centre from Hathaway Retail Park to Market Place. Meet Cinderella in her pumpkin carriage in Borough Parade, visit Santa’s Grotto or try to cheer the Grinch in Emery Gate. Glitter and Glo Face Painting will be in Emery Gate or enjoy the free Snow Globe experience at Hathaway Retail Park from 1pm to 8pm.

The festive artisan and food market along the High Street and Market Place will open at 10am and close at 8pm. Waterstone's is holding storytelling sessions, with community carols at St Andrew’s Church from 4pm.