AN inaugural Clitheroe Christmas Festival is set to be staged in December.

A range of festive events will be held including Santa touring the town on the way to his seasonal grotto which will be decorated by children from the local schools.

There will also be performances from carol singers and choirs, bands and solo artists throughout the day on Saturday, December 6.

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Organised by the Clitheroe Chamber of Trade and Commerce, the event will also play host to the Thwaites shire horses and the Jazz and Mod festival teams.

Acting The Goat, the local theatre company, will produce lively and entertaining street acts around the town, working with schools culminating in a spectacular performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’.

With support from Ultrafrme UK Ltd and the Chamber of Trade, many businesses will be putting on individual events and serving festive treats including mulled wine.

Plus, there will be donkeys to ride and a fully-themed ‘pop-up’ Victorian Apothecary.

The day will draw to a close with Santa and the Thwaites Shirehorses leaving around 4pm before an event involving local churches and the crib at the entrance to the castle.

The Chamber of Trade will also publish a town guide with offers and savings featured in the run-up to Christmas and the town will again be lit up by Christmas trees above the town centre streets. Proceeds will be divided between attending charitable groups, while the chamber’s chosen charity for the year, Our Local Heroes Foundation, will attend on the day.

Chamber president Tony Gould said: “I put together a group of chamber members and executive members and they set about working on this.

“It has taken around six weeks to put together and they have really worked very hard.

“It should be a boost for the town and hopefully we will be able to attract more visitors to Clitheroe. This will be an annual event and we can start to look at raising more money for good causes.”