The city is preparing for its biggest and best Christ-mas with the newly-opened Liverpool One and shopping district hosting the events.
Reindeer, a food market, brass bands and a street theatre are among the entertainment which will run into January.
A 12m by 12m skating rink will be outside St George’s hall and will be open daily (not Christmas Day) from Friday, December 19 to Saturday, January 4.
Cllr Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “Liverpool is staging its biggest and best ever Christmas programme to reflect the dramatic improvements the city has undergone and also to bring our Capital of Culture year to a fitting climax with a special atmosphere in the run-up to Christmas.”
The key festive area will be Clayton Square, Church Street, Lord Street, Bold Street, Williamson Square and Whitechapel (outside the Metquarter).
Tonight, Liverpool’s Christmas lighting scene, including Liverpool One, will be lit for the first time at 5.30pm, heralding the start of a season of Christ-mas events and activities and the streets will be ani-mated each Thursday, 5pm to 8pm, until Christmas.
Festive tunes will be belted out funked up by the Red Hot Santas and acrobatic elves and Jack Frost will be on stilts alongside the Snowman and Rudolph and Vixen.
Events held over the next month will include:
On November 20, festive musicians and the sights of sparkling festive entertain-ers, including Titan the Robot, will bring huge Yule tide numbers with roller skating Christmas charac-ters and carol-singing elves.
On November 27, the Christmas tree in Church Street arrives with a real reindeer at the Metquarter, There will be carol singers and street performers who will also entertain in Lord Street and Williamson Square.
The evening’s festivities will be sprinkled with a drift of snow, keeping things suitably festive.
On December 4, drifting snow, music and Father Christmas and lots more in-store events on Bold Street.
On December 5, Liver- pool Christmas market arrives in Williamson Square, selling festive food, mulled wine and crafted gifts from over 40 stalls.
On December 11, street entertainment includes a roller- skating Snowman, Scrooge, Snow Queen, the Bad Santas and Elves of puddings.
On December 18 – Reindeers on stilts, Jack Frosts, brass bands, Vic- torian entertainment on Bold Street, market in Wil- liamson Square with many stores staying open until late for Liverpool's final Christmas Magical Moment.
Other Liverpool Christmas events include the new Santa grotto in the Heritage Centre, from Wednesday, December 3, until Monday, December 22. (Not available on Thurs-days); Santa arrives at John Lewis on Saturday, Novem-ber 8 at noon, with proceeds donated to The Lord Mayors Charity Appeal; The Metquarter has Christmas choirs and wine tasting.
Shows include Spirit of Christmas – Royal Liver-pool Philharmonic Orches-tra – December 18 - 21 and many more.
Merseytravel are also staging a special Christ- mas deal – a £1 return fair across the Merseyrail network every Thursday from November 13 and all day Sunday from Decem- ber 7 until Christmas. For more information go to www.merseytravel.gov.uk
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