Christmas is a time to come together. On Thursday 26th November Stockton certainly did that. It was the launch of Stockton Sparkles and the Christmas lights switch on. This year featured The UK’s only singing Christmas tree.
The tree was decorated with a range of local talent including Jess Daley, Paul Sudlow, Andrew Johnson and Dan Donnelly. This was combined with a ten piece band led by Daniel Mccormack and Mike Mcgrother.
Songs performed on the tree included ‘Do you Love Me?’ and ‘I Will Follow Him’. During ‘This Little Light of Mine’ there was a countdown and the lights were switched on. This was then followed by I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and a sing along of Christmas carols. The carols really created a community feel with everyone singing along to carols such as ‘Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer’ and ‘Silent Night’. During ‘White Christmas’ it snowed.
There was plenty of other entertainment including Orkestra Del Sol, Photon and a preview of Stockton Riverside College students performing ‘The Wizard of Oz’. The event was hosted by BBC Tees and The Balloonatic and saw presenter Lisa Mccormick climb into a giant balloon.
The Christmas lights were switched on by Santa and the Mayor of Stockton, Councillor Ian Dalgarno, who arrived in style on a colourful rickshaw driven by theatre artists Pif Paf. Twins Amelia and Gracie Wilson, aged seven, joined the pair on stage to countdown and press the switch-on button.
The Mayor said: “The Sparkles launch was such a colourful and creative evening – it was certainly an experience to travel on Pif Paf’s Flycyle rickshaw and arrive through the crowds of people who had gathered for the switch-on of the lights. I was delighted to join so many residents to mark the start of Stockton Sparkles.”
There was also the Christmas market consisting of around thirty stalls selling arts, crafts, food and other gifts.