Wheels in motion for this year's festive events in Hailsham

The town centre will be home to a range of stalls selling fine food, Christmas gifts, confectionery and other items at the Christmas Market event in December, and various festive refreshments will be on sale to tempt visitors.

The event will also feature Santa and his Sleigh as well as live music from The Sussex Stompers, plus there will be carol singing in Vicarage Field courtesy of Hailsham Choral Society. Hailsham FM will be playing popular Christmas tunes throughout the day.

Hailsham Farmers’ Market, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this December, will hold a special Christmas event at the Cattle Market site on the same day, selling local, quality, traceable food and crafts. There will also be festive entertainment including another performance by Hailsham Choral Society.

The Farmers' Market event will also feature a 'Best Dressed Dog' competition, as well as a 'Best Dressed Elf' contest for primary school aged children to enter, with the judging and announcement of the winner taking place at the Farmers' Market site that day.

Wealden Brass will be holding their free concert at Hailsham Parish Church at 2.30pm and Hailsham FM will be broadcasting live on the day.

Market traders can benefit from booking a free stall at the Christmas Market and are encouraged to do so by calling 01323 841702 or emailing [email protected].

Councillor Anne Marie Ricketts, Deputy Town Mayor and Vice-Chairman of the Communities Committee said: "It may only be July, but we're already getting into the Christmas spirit here on the festivities team. We received encouraging feedback from both shoppers and stallholders in previous years and are looking forward to doing it all again this December and making the event an even bigger success."

"We're also excited to be building on the programme of festive entertainment and look forward to welcoming stallholders who can help us continue to make Christmas in Hailsham really magical."

Prior to the Christmas Market and Christmas Farmers' Market, a special Christmas Lights Switch-on event - which is always a highlight of the year in Hailsham - will take place in Vicarage Field on Friday 24th November.

Pupils from Hailsham Community College and Hailsham Primary Academy will be carol singing before the official switch-on and Santa will be attending (courtesy of Hailsham Rotary Club), handing out sweets to children. Hailsham FM will be broadcasting live and playing popular Christmas tunes at the event.

A new addition to the switch-on event this year will be a range of market stalls selling Christmas gifts, food and other items, plus Hailsham Lions will once again have a candy floss stall.

The special guest appearance this year will be from Star Wars costume performers 'Vader's Raiders', who will be providing photo/selfie opportunities and will be switching on the town's Christmas lights.

Hailsham Parish Church will be open after the lights switch-on, serving free hot drinks.

Encouraging people to mark the date of the event in their diaries now, Town Mayor Councillor Paul Holbrook said: "The Christmas lights switch-on is always one of the highlights of the year in the town centre and indicates that festivities are underway. I hope many people decide to attend the event, enjoy the entertainment on offer and get in the festive spirit with their friends and family."

Further information on both Christmas events will be announced soon. For enquiries in the meantime, call 01323 841702 or send an email to: [email protected].