Tinsel at the ready for Christmas Tree Festival

PREPARATIONS are well under way for Westbury’s annual Christmas Tree Festival, which will be held at All Saints Church from Thursday 10th December.

The festival will see Christmas trees decorated by schools, organisations and businesses from across the town, as well as musical performances over the weekend.

Organiser Roy Inwood said, “Westbury’s is probably one of the best Christmas tree festivals in Wiltshire. It has taken place annually for the past nine years and usually attracts around 800+ visitors.

“There will be about 50 trees from various groups in the town and people can vote for their favourite. There will be a musical theme again this year, and the most popular tree will win a prize. There will be a stall selling Christmas gifts, which has always been popular, and an ‘inn’ where you will be able to buy  soup and a roll, stollen, mince pies, tea, coffee and mulled wine.”

The festival will run from Thursday 10th December to Sunday 13th; the official opening will be  at 6.15pm on Friday 11th with Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Troughton.

On Thursday there will be music from Westbury Infants Ukulele Group and Matravers’ string band between 6pm and 8pm.

Friday will see the festival open from 10am to 8pm and, as well as the official opening, will have music from Matravers Choir, Steeple Rocks Choir, and Bratton Silver Band.

On Saturday 12th the festival will open from 10am to 5pm, and have music from   Hilperton Recorder and Ukulele groups from 1.30pm onwards, and a decoration-making workshop with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust from 10am to 3.30pm.

On Sunday 13th the festival will open from 11am to 4pm, and have story reading in the stable at 2pm. There will be a Christingle service at 4pm.

For more information contact Roy Inwood on 01373 864364.