ILMINSTER’S Christmas Switch-on event made the whole town sparkle, with thousands of visitors swarming the streets to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous lights and trees on display.

On Friday, November 22 the town was alive with events and seasonal festivities.

The celebrations officially kicked off at 1.30pm with school choirs gathering in the Market House and taking turns enthusiastically singing classics like Silent Night, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and We Wish You a Merry Christmas until 4.30pm.

The participating choirs included Neroche school, Three Saints, Hambridge, Herne View and South Petherton who all sang beautifully.

A “very successful” Christmas Market was also held in the Youth Club from 3.30pm where shoppers could explore unique locally made items including baubles, antiques, baked goods and much more.

From 4.00pm live entertainment began which included Craig Isaac, Rihanna Fifield and the MCF Puppets who all filled the air with music.

From 4.30 the town centre was fully closed to traffic and the food and drinks vendors set up along the street, ready for the “several thousand” people who would be showing up soak up the atmosphere as they eagerly awaited the big switch-on.

The shops also joined in on the fun by staying open late that night – allowing all last-minute shoppers to get their winter fix before the big event.

Right before the switch-on the Christmas Carnival made its way down Silver Street to Frog's Lane with amazing performances put on by the Ilminster Icons and Herne View School. 

The lights were officially switched on at 7pm by Dave Jewson who is the longest serving member of the Ilminster lights committee – having been a member since the committee’s inception 47 year ago.

He was joined on stage by Matt Sainsbury or “DJ Ginge”, Chairman Clinton Bonner, technical assistant Paul Sainsbury and another long-standing volunteer Roger Swan.

As always, the lights were spectacular, and the switch-on ceremony was met with huge applause and excitement from the crowd gathered in the Market Square.

“There were so many people I thought Ilminster would sink into the ground,” a resident spokesperson said jokingly.

“It went really well,” a volunteer at the event said.  

“As ever the lights are particularly spectacular with many new lights throughout the town.  We were particularly fortunate in having excellent Christmas weather - cold but with clear skies and no wind,” Matt Sainsbury added.  “All in all, a perfect start to the Christmas season."

The wind and rain from Storm Bert followed over the weekend shortly after the event, damaging some of the lights that the team worked so hard on.

The Ilminster lights committee have a few repairs to do this week and have already been spotted trying to fix any damage to the Ilminster Christmas display.