Santa and live reindeer visit Buckingham for Christmas Lights Switch-On

Live reindeer will be paying a visit to Buckingham, as part of this weekend’s Christmas Lights Switch-On. Everyone is invited to pop along to Market Hill from 6pm to 8pm on on Saturday, November 26, to see the reindeer and the Santa Van, sing along to carols with the Great Horwood Silver Band and listen to performances from Buckingham Voices and the George Grenville Academy Choir.

The winners of the Mayor’s Christmas Card Competition will help town mayor Margaret Gateley turn on the Christmas lights at about 6.20pm, and a number of shops will remain open until 8pm for late-night shopping, including stores in Buckingham’s Hidden Quarter, on Well Street, and Cornwall’s Meadow.

A stall from LW Creations will be selling handmade home furnishings and there will be food vans from Bandit Street Food, Good Times UK and Kerrie’s Bakes and Crafts.

Ahead of the switch-on, families can visit the Saturday Steet Market to meet the Elf and pick up a Festive Trail Map, before following the Festive Trail through Buckingham’s streets to find all 12 presents for Santa's list. If you find all the presents, you can enter a prize draw by leaving your completed map at the Tourist Information Centre.

Those completing the trail have a chance of winning £100 to spend in a local shop this Christmas, thanks to a kind donation from Buckingham Table. Full details can be found here.

Councillor Robin Stuchbury, who chairs the Town Centre and Events Committee, said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank the events committee for funding the Christmas lights on behalf of the Town Council, Buckinghamshire Council for the Christmas tree and the time put in by the events team to deliver a wide range of additional activities on the day, especially the reindeer which I’m looking forward to meeting, as I’m sure they’ll be of great interest to the children in the town including those young at heart.”

Buckingham’s Christmas tree has been kindly provided by Bucks Council and has been installed outside the Old Gaol, ready for the lights to be turned on on Saturday