Shropshire Christmas light switch-ons: Find out when your lights will be turned on

Many Shropshire towns are getting into the festive spirit, with Christmas light switch-ons scheduled in the coming days.

Market Drayton will be turned into a sparkly winter wonderland this weekend in a bid to get residents into the festive spirit.

The event will be held on Saturday starting from 10am, with the Christmas lights being turned on at about 5pm.

It will also feature live music, fire eaters, magic acts and Santa's grotto.

Santa is due to arrive in Cheshire Street at 10.45am before travelling through the street at 1.30pm.

Kate Harvey, assistant town clerk, said: "It is going to be a real community event with local acts performing.

“The event will run from 10am and there will be market stalls and entertainment from local bands and dance groups.

“There will also be street entertainment and the lights will be switched on at 5pm.

"People will actually get to meet a real reindeer, Rudolph, as well as Santa.

"We have had a lot of support from the town this year.

"Hales Sawmills has donated the Christmas tree in Cheshire Street, AJB has helped put it up. The High Street Christmas tree has been donated by Muller."

The town's Lions club, Leek United Building Society, Pork Farms and BCR are also supporting the event this year.

The Telford Tree of Light is also to be switched on this week.

This year's appeal will support the Severn Hospice as always, but money will also go to Shropshire, Staffordshire & Cheshire Blood Bikes, Wellington Cottage Care, Shropshire Disability Network and Dementia UK Admiral Nurses Telford & Wrekin.

The tree itself is to be illuminated at Telford Shopping Centre on Thursday by Dicky Dodd, the Signal 107 Radio presenter.

The Tree of Light gives people the opportunity to commemorate the names of their loved ones.

These names are then displayed around the tree in the and in other locations around the borough.

There are already set to be more than 650 names around the tree, with over £10,000 already raised for charity.

Wellington will mark its switch-on with a day-long festival, running from 10am to 6pm on November 25.

Organised by Wellington Town Council, it says it will be a day of celebration.

Visitors can enjoy live seasonal entertainment and free children’s lantern workshops.

There will be local food, mulled wine, and barista coffee along with handmade chocolates and even more treats.

There will also be Christmas Festival stalls and traditional market stands offering a wide range of Christmas gifts, décor, crafts, clothing and much more.

This will all be before Santa arrives and the town is illuminated for Christmas.

Meanwhile, Shrewsbury was being lit up today, with new Christmas lights being debut.

The event at 5pm was to feature bands, choirs, and acoustic acts will be performing a variety of seasonal music during the event, organised by Shrewsbury Town Council in partnership with Shrewsbury Shopping Centres.

It was also marking the start of the town's late night shopping.

Oswestry's Christmas lights will be switched-on tomorrow during an evening of entertainment.

The festivities at the town's Bailey Head will begin at 4pm with music and entertainment from local schools and colleges.

At 6pm there will be an official countdown to the switch-on, being carried out by 98-year-old Colin Cole, who still sells poppies for the Royal British Legion and who volunteers monitoring Oswestry's town centre CCTV system.

The evening will continue with fireworks, stalls and street food and entertainment from band, the BackBeat Three.

Oswestry Town Council, which organises the event, says there will be something for all the family.