ILMINSTER town centre will mark the start of the festive season with its Christmas Festival and Christmas Lights switch-on event.

The event will take place on Friday, November 18, and the town’s wider celebration, which will include a series of activities, is organised by the Ilminster Chamber of Commerce with the town council support.

The switch-on event will involve the closure of the town centre from 5pm to 9pm on that evening and signals the start of Christmas shopping throughout the town.

Chard & Ilminster News:

Events will feature a Lantern Parade headed by Ilminster Diamonds Majorettes with children of the local school parading through town.

The Ilminster Arts Centre will be open from 6pm to 9pm as part of the town's wider activities to mark the Christmas Lights Switch-On and Victorian Evening, launching the start of the festive season.

A spokesperson for the arts centre said: “We'll be hosting free entertainment from the Ilminster Ukulele Band, and our café, bar, art gallery, and shop will be open for everyone to enjoy.

“The café will be serving mulled cider and wine and a range of tasty treats. Our boutique shop offers a range of handmade gifts from local craft makers, perfect as a Christmas present.”

Mike Fry-Foley, vice president of the Ilminster Chamber of Commerce, said: “This event has been held for many years, 25+ to my knowledge, and last year we were able to bring it back very successfully from the Covid-era.

“Ilminster is very fortunate in that, we claim, it has the best lights in the area - probably.

“This is the result of an awful lot of hard work by the dedicated team of the Lights Committee who design and build the huge frames that get strung between and on the buildings throughout the town, plus the fortuitous layout of the town with its compact medieval street layout.

“Events include a Lantern Parade headed by Ilminster Diamonds Majorettes with children of the local school parading through town just prior to the switch-on at 7pm.

“In the town, we have food and drink vendors, children's rides and games, and live music. There is three hours free parking in the Tesco car park for visitors.”