* Sion Corn makes a grand entrance.
* The parade begins led by the Silver Band.
* The mayor, Jon Haddy aboard a horse-drawn coach.
* Hog roast in Oak Street.
*The Silver Band perform.
* A nativity scene by members of Cytun,
Churches Together,
* The Melodic Mondays sing.
* The Samba Band keep up the beat.
* Carols by Llan Operatic Society.
* The lights are switched on by Cameron and Ffion.
* Castle Street is lit up.
* The fireworks display.
Heavy rain throughout the afternoon failed to dampen enthusiasm
for Llangollen’s annual Christmas Festival today (Saturday).
Crowds thronging Castle Street cheered as the big parade got
under way at 1pm, with Llan Silver Band leading the way.
Behind them came Sion Carn – the Welsh Santa Claus – aboard a
sleigh, morris dancers, a samba band, a contingent from the local Army Cadets
and town major, Jon Haddy, riding on a horse-drawn carriage.
After a procession through the town, the parade stopped outside
the Town Hall and Sion Corn was escorted to his grotto upstairs where a long
line of youngsters were waiting to meet him.
The Town Hall also hosted a seasonal craft fair with a range
of stalls.
Outside, Oak Street had been transformed into a Christmas
fair with children’s rides, a climbing frame, more stalls and a hog roast.
The rain started to come down around 2pm, not long after a packed
programme of open-air entertainment got under way on the steps of The Chapel.
Despite the wet weather, which persisted without let-up for
the rest of the day, the crowd enjoyed performances from the Silver Band, the town’s
pantomime group, the Melodic Mondays ladies singing ensemble, Llan Operatic
Society and the Karamba Samba Band.
The official switch-on of the lights was brought forward by
half an hour because of the bad weather.
After thanks to everyone who had helped make the day a
success from the mayor, youngsters Cameron and Ffion, from Ysgol y Gwernant and
Ysgol Bryn Collen, who had won competitions to have the honour, turned on the
lights above Castle Street to the accompaniment of a rousing cheer from the
rain-soaked crowd.
Grand finale to the day was a spectacular firework display
which lit up the sky from the hillside behind the canal wharf.
Hope House Hospice will benefit from collections made during the festival.
