Four Saturdays of festive fun in Gosport town centre

Christmas gets under way in Gosport next Saturday with a sparkling festive lights switch-on event and a day of family entertainment.

And this year, Gosport Borough Council is extending its town centre festivities well into December. There will be attractions and street performances on the following three Saturdays, to make sure everyone stays in the mood.

Saturday 26 November gets the celebrations started with family fun and activities in Lawrence Square from 9am, including free face painting from 12pm to 3pm (queue closes 2.30pm), a free craft bus from 10am to 2pm, children's rides and the Gosportarians' Christmas sleigh with Father Christmas and his elves.

Stage entertainment starts at 2.30pm, with Wave 105 DJ Stuart McGinley compering and plenty of local musical talent.

A special feature of the event will be the spectacular Brouhaha carnival parade, postponed from September out of respect for the Queen. Performers in colourful costumes will parade down the High Street from the Falkland Gardens, arriving at the stage for music and a costume display at about 4pm.

Stars from the New Theatre Royal pantomime Sleeping Beauty will switch on the lights at 6pm with Father Christmas. This year there will not be a fireworks show.

Meanwhile, the new Gosport Museum and Art Gallery will celebrate its official opening from 12.30pm to 6pm. Until 4.30pm it will host the Give it a Go festival, where visitors can try creative activities.

On 3, 10 and 17 December, activities and performances will bring fun to the Town Hall/Lawrence Square area between 10am and 3pm.

Highlights include:

3 December

• fairground rides for young children
• a trio of carol singers in costume

10 December

• fairground rides for young children
• a Victorian gentleman juggler, complete with penny farthing bicycle
• the Christmas Crackers Choir

17 December

• fairground rides for young children
• fun photo opportunities including an over-sized polar bear bench and giant walk-in snow globe
• Big Fat Santa, an 8ft tall, 4ft wide comedy character.
• stage acts including the Reilly Enterprise children show

Cllr Peter Chegwyn, Leader of the Council, said: "This year we're not only holding our traditional lights switch-on show, but a whole host of family events right up to the week before Christmas. We really hope local people enjoy these performances and attractions, most of them free. And of course, we hope local businesses will benefit from a bustling town centre."

For more details and more events see:

• The Discover Gosport Facebook page
• The Christmas in Gosport leaflet, available from the Discovery Centre, the Town Hall, the Tourist Information Centre, Elson Library, Bridgemary Library, Lee-on-the-Solent Library, Thorngate Halls, the Nimrod Centre and other community hubs.