Formby Christmas Lights 2015
The Formby Christmas Lights Switch on event was a great success with over 6,000 people descending on our village. Festive fun and yuletide entertainment for the whole family. Father Christmas and a host of special guests filled the day from 12noon till 6:30pm.
The event, now in its fifteenth year, is one of the highlights on the villages' calendar of events and this year it promised to be bigger than ever and didn't let us down!
There was a range of fairground rides and Christmas stalls on offer as well as face painting, a Father Christmas grotto, steam train rides and many more activities that kept everyone entertained.
Inside Santa's Grotto with his Elves and an excited little girl
Fairground rides
Sky TV's Neil Newton and Sandgrounder's Breakfast Show host
Sky TV's Neil Newton hosted the days events, which included a special performance by St Jerome's Children's Choir, Formby's very own singer songwriter, Anna Corcoran and award winning G-Force Choir.
St. Jerome's Childrens Choir looking very festive
The highlight of the evening, was the light switch on which was done this year by LFC and EFC legends Alan Kennedy and Graham Sturart who stepped in at the last minute and didn't charge anything to the committee. The lights were switched on at 5pm.
Organiser, Pat Wordley said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Frosty, our lovely snowman, back on the traffic island this year.
Churches together staged some nativity scenes and sung carols, while the Marshside Brass Band performed in various areas around the village. The usual model steam train offered children's rides throughout the day, which was a real hit with the youngsters.
There were lots of food outlets including Brough's BBQ, Hop & Horn peri peri chicken BBQ, Hog Roast, Cafe D'Art BBQ, plus Woodwards Wine stand, Red Star Beers, luxury chocolates waffles and much more!
Tom at the Hop & Horn serving the most delicious warm cherry mulled wine
Shaun and Nathan at the Hop & Horn making delicious burgers
Red Star Brewery of Formby
Louise from Woodwards
Broughs butchers serving the delicious well known BBQ's
Organiser, Pat Wordley said: “We were lucky that the sun shone for most of the day which I am sure helped to bring out record crowds into the village. ”There was lots to see and do during the afternoon and the entertainment from the main stage was excellent, culminating in an exciting switch-on by EFC and LFC legends, Graham Stuart and Alan Kennedy. “We want to thank everyone involved in ensuring that Formby has a wonderful festive display including Formby Parish Council and local traders for their generous donations, the wonderful artists who performed for free, the stewarding from Waitrose and the organising committee who give up so much of their time both before and during the event. ”Special thanks go out to Peter Dunne whose leadership has ensured that Formby has been lit up every Christmas for the past 15 years and who is now retiring from the committee. We will miss his experience, enthusiasm and energy.“
Cllr Trish Hardy, Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said: ”Christmas lights switch ons are always popular events and a chance for local people and families to get into the festive spirit. “We are very grateful for the hard work and community spirit which goes into these important events and we were pleased to see plenty of people coming out to support their local traders in the run up to Christmas.”
The weather was good, cold but didn't rain so all in all the day was fantastic.
Watch our Formby Christmas Lights Switch On video of the days events
