Ilkeston - Christmas Starts Here
w/e 01 December 2013
Some of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490 & some with a Fuji Finepix L55
In the liturgical year, the season of Advent begins
four Sundays before Christmas which means Advent Sunday this
year falls on December 1st, "Christmas" is a relatively
short season from Christmas Day to Epiphany which starts on January
6th but many commercial enterprises have been planning for the
Christmas season for many months and have been actively promoting
it with the sale of goods for several months now. For many Ilkeston
people though Christmas really started on Friday night, November
29th when the Christmas lights were switched on.
The event began at 5:30pm with the switch on due at 7:00pm but
just before the hour, a familiar figure appeared on the balcony
of the Town Hall which was a little confusing as a clone of the
man in red was sitting in Santa's Grotto and waving to the children
from Santa's Grotto on the Market Place opposite.
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So it was just after seven that the Mayor of Erewash,
Councillor Val Clare assisted by her young granddaughter pressed
the plunger to illuminate all the lights in the town centre.
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Even with the lights on though, the crowd's attention was still
focused on the Town Hall.
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And the reason for their attention was a surprise fireworks display
on the top of the building. I just wonder how many traumatised
cats and dogs there are around the town centre following this
unexpected and unannounced explosion of screeches, whooshes and
bangs.
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At the end of the display, the crowd thinned to sample the fairground
attractions that had gathered to add to the festive entertainment.
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Meanwhile in front of the Town Hall, local band Wildest Dream
performed on the stage and Santa's little helpers offered goodies
to the children.
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There was no shortage of takers too as the man himself fetched
treats from his sack.
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Stilt walkers were also on hand to add to the entertainment and
here met the Mayor and her granddaughter - you could say it's
the long and the short of it.
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Despite the crowds on the Market Place, South Street looked almost
deserted.
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The Lower Market Place was a different matter however where a
"Victorian Market" was in full swing and was full of
many charity stalls. The town's Christmas tree by the Cenotaph
was somewhat in the shadows and almost lost among the lights
on the fairground rides but it will come into its own together
with the lights in the trees by the church wall during the coming
weeks after the fair has gone. Yes, Christmas starts here!
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