Your what’s on guide to the Brighouse Victorian Christmas festival

Street entertainers, choirs, singers, magicians, acrobats and brass bands will entertain you as you shop.

Watch out for Santa parading in his horse-drawn carriage, try the wonderful street food, enjoy a glass of mulled wine and take the kids to Santa’s grotto or the funfair.

The fun starts with a Victorian music hall show on Friday evening, November 28, at Brighouse Civic Hall. Come along and join in the foot tapping fun, songs and laughter that kept the Victorians happy.

Music hall brought together a variety of different acts which together formed an evening of light-hearted entertainment. Little Tich, Marie Lloyd, Dan Leno and Vesta Tilley were a few of the many famous artists.

The Civic Hall will see some of these performing on stage along with dancing, singing, comedy, magic and juggling.

Even the escapologist Houdini will be there. It seems that nothing can stop the Brighouse Business Initiative from getting top acts.

The chairman for the evening is Mr Paul Harper, who will delight the audience with his vocabulary and wit.

The Dewsbury Dance Centre Kids will perform a set from the musical “Oliver” to add authenticity to the evening with this Dickens’ story of the time.

The Brighouse Echo is offering an exclusive offer - buy one ticket (£10) get one free. Cut out the coupon below and present it when buying your tickets, which are available from Harrison Lord, Simply Flowers or Ryecorn Wholefoods. Ring 01484 711835 for more details.

On Saturday, November 29, from 9am the whole town centre turns into a Victorian Christmas wonderland.

Step back in time, get dressed up and join in the fun for a weekend full of surprises and bargains galore to make your Christmas shopping a pleasure. Brighouse town centre will boast a Christmas Market of more than 100 stalls of local food, produce and crafts, backed up by the local shops with their special offers and bargains, all dressed up for Christmas. Don’t miss the lantern parade and Christmas lights switch-on at 4pm.

All the fun continues on Sunday, November 30, from 10am until 4pm.

For more information, visit www.victorianchristmasfestival.co.uk.

Your guide to what’s on and where

Friday, November 28

7.30pm - Victorian Christmas Variety show, Brighouse Civic Hall. Tickets £10

Saturday, November 29

10am - Festival opening ceremony by Her Majesty Queen Victoria from the stage area on Bradford Road. Rastrick High School Band peformance

11am - Marsh Ladies Choir performance

11.30am - St Joseph’s School Choir

12pm - The Wise Men with their camels parade through Brighouse

12.30pm - Church Choirs

2pm - The Shire Horses arrive at the bottom of Market Street. Woodhouse School Choir performance. Steampunk parade

2.30pm - St Andrew’s Infants Choir performance, Bradford Road

4pm - Arrival of Father Christmas

4.15pm - Torchlight parade around town leading to the Christmas Lights switch-on

Also on:

Fairground on Bradford Road

Entertainers on Commercial Street and Bethel Street

Various food stalls and specialist catering stands around the town centre

Sunday, November 30

10am - Market opening

11.30am - St Andrew’s Junior Choir performance

12pm - The Shire horses will arrive and be available for rides around Thornton Square. Brighouse High School Band performance

1pm - Church Choirs

2.30pm - Father Christmas parade around Brighouse

Also on:

Clifton Hand Bell Ringers will be performing in the afternoon at Central Methodist Church.

Yorkshire Thoughbread Car Club will have a colourful display on the Bethel Street car park.

Foot tapping music.

Mulled wine, tea, coffee and hot chocolate, pie and peas and roast chestnuts available from the BBI stall on Commercial Street.

Kids and adults can have even more fun at the amusements on Bradford Road.

And the entertainment doesn’t finish there.

Monday, December 1

Grand final of the Brighouse Echo presents Brighouse Has Talent. Civic Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £2. Call 01422 260295

Thursday, December 4

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” film will be screened at the Civic Hall.

Sunday, December 7

5.30pm - Special “Sing-a-long” matinee performance of “Frozen”.