Westbury puts on special show to switch on Christmas

CROWDS turned out in force in Westbury on Saturday to enjoy the live music, stalls and celebrate the annual Christmas lights switch-on. 

Hundreds of people gathered in the Market Place on a chilly Saturday evening to be entertained by a selection of live music acts, including the well-loved ABBA Rival and local music legends, the Cley Hill Stompers. 

The event had to be postponed by a week following a storm warning from the Met Office, and whilst the children’s activities were affected by the changes due to the postponement, children still had the opportunity to meet Santa and his elves at Santa’s Grotto. 

Event manager of Westbury Town Council, Ryan Child said, “A lot of effort went into this event from traders, staff, crew and all the performers. Overall, it was a big success! This has all been made possible with a very enthusiastic and hard-working team. Whilst we missed a few attractions due to the postponement, the community still pulled together to create an unforgettable event in the town.” 

The performances began with dance routines performed by Westbury-based Infinity Dance. Local favourites, the Cley Hill Stompers, delivered their much-loved rock n’ roll classics, along with a Christmas classic thrown into the mix. Rock Choir soon followed, impressing a growing audience in the Market Place. 

Reverend Rebecca gave a speech, highlighting Christmas and community spirit, before ex-Matravers student and local artist, Wade Merritt, sang some original songs alongside a selection of classics. 

The headliners for the event, ABBA Rival, wowed the audience with a set of the most well-known ABBA hits. Dressed in full regalia, ABBA Rival’s performance was well received by the town. 

The switch-on ceremony followed, with some light-hearted comedy as the Christmas lights switch-on button was heavily guarded by security (a coalition of Superheroes and local community volunteer, Radek Evans.) 

The coalition of superheroes then praised the NHS and keyworkers for their help during the pandemic, presenting critical care nursing assistant, Kirsty Gyllenspetz, with flowers as a sign of appreciation for the work of the NHS and all staff. 

Mayor of Westbury, cllr Sheila Kimmins, addressed the town and announced ‘Westbury’s Best Mince Pie’ winner, Zac Bailey, inviting him to the stage to collect his prize. The mayor was then joined by Santa and the overall winner of the mayor’s design-a-Christmas-card competition, 4-year-old Ella Lawrence, who had the privilege of turning on the town’s Christmas lights display. 

Ryan Child continued, “A special thanks to our event sponsors, Westbury Festival, Chappell Associates, Daykin Estates and the White Horse News for contributing to this event, also to Christmas in Westbury and Gm3 Music for enabling and assisting us to help deliver a memorable event for the community.”