Sleaford Christmas Market is a big festive crowd pleaser

A sudden change in weather saw a couple of inches of snow dropped overnight on the town make it even more festive-looking and Mayor of Sleaford, Coun Anthony Brand, said the bumper turn-out made it a great success.

Coun Brand said: “We had in the order of 100 stalls across the Market Place and Eastgate Green. The range of offerings was extensive providing individually made items in addition to the food stalls.”

There was also a funfair and face painting in the Town Hall.

There were choirs, musicians, bands and street entertainers keeping people in good spirits at various locations and other businesses got involved, banding together to provide more stalls and entertainment, including a Santa’s Grotto in Bristol Arcade and Millstream Square, as well as Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School running stalls in White Hart Mews with more stalls and refreshments in the church hall.

The traditional Festival of Christmas Trees was hosted in the Methodist Church on Northgate, Mrs Claus was at Navigation House in Sleaford, with singing and fun while people browsed the local goods there.

Alongside that was the The Hub’s maker pop-up market and craft workshops in Navigation Yard and

Sleaford Salvation Army held its Advent service and appeal for toy donations.

Not only that, Christmas song writer and musician Chris Clark put on a Christmas show at Watergate Yard to entertain visitors with some catchy yuletide tunes.

Despite the weather turning to rain later in the afternoon as darkness fell, many stuck around to fill the Market Place for the traditional switch-on of the lights by the mayor, backed by singers from the Lincolnshire Vocal Academy.

Coun Brand added: "As ever, the event concluded with the switching on of the Christmas Lights. This is one of the things that Sleaford does well. Inevitably there was a large gathering for this part of the day.

"Thanks go to the staff at Sleaford Town Council whose efforts enabled the success of the day.”