Christmas lights switch-ons and events at Lymington, Christchurch, New Milton, Lyndhurst, Ringwood, Brockenhurst, Fordingbridge, Beaulieu, Highcliffe and Totton

TOWNS and villages across the New Forest and Christchurch are gearing up for Christmas with light switch-ons, parades and fun events.

In Lymington today (Friday) the build-up to the Christmas lights switch-on will begin at 4pm in the high street with stalls and food and drink.

Lymington Choral Society and Priestlands School choir will gather around the tree outside St Thomas’s from 5.30pm, with the blessing of the crib in the church’s nativity scene scheduled for 6pm – followed by the mayor, Cllr James Hoare, throwing the light switch at 6.15pm.

At 6.30pm Father Christmas arrives on his sleigh helped by elves from Lymington Rotary club.

A festive market in Saxon Square, Christchurch, is opening today and running through to Christmas Eve.

A Yuletide Festival will make its debut in the town tomorrow, kicking off at 11am and including a procession featuring members of the local Gobbledegook Theatre Company.

The Holly King and Ivy Queen along with fairies and singing townsfolk will leave Church Lane at 5pm to make their way through the town joined by local groups Mad4Dance, Highcliffe Charity Players and Funky Little Choir.

In addition to the lights switch-on at Saxon Square there will also be live music and refreshments, and a carol service outside Christchurch Baptist Church at 3pm.

Christchurch Rotary will be running its popular Living Advent Calendar throughout December with daily pop-up performances at a variety of locations.

In New Milton tomorrow, from 11.30am the Lions Club’s Christmas Festival and Carnival Parade will feature a bigger programme of events than ever before.

At 4pm the parade will start with Father Christmas taking part in his sleigh. An hour later the Christmas lights switch-on ceremony will be performed.

The popular Lyndhurst lights will be switched on at 6pm tomorrow, with organisers hoping to increase the illuminations from last year.

A £5,000 fundraiser has been set up to help extend the lights further along the village. Donate at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lyndhurstdecorationscommittee

Ringwood’s Winter Wanderland, a free event organised by the town council, returns on Sunday. It includes a market of more than 60 stalls selling arts and crafts and produce, and there will be hot food and drinks.

Visitors can see Santa in his grotto after parades through the town at 11.30am and 5.45pm. He will be turning on the town’s lights at 6pm.

A grotto at Brockenhurst’s Christmas fun evening on Friday 2nd December will raise money for the local warm hub, which offers free soup and refreshments each Monday from 10am-4pm.

The festive event in Brookley Road, between 6pm and 8pm includes the chance to meet Father Christmas as well as funfair rides, refreshments and a brass band.

Fordingbridge’s lights switch-on is on Friday 2nd December, running from 5pm-8pm with street closures including Roundhill, the High Street, Provost Street and Shaftesbury Street.

There will be stalls, street entertainers and a grotto outside I. N. Newman for Santa, who will parade through the town at 6pm before turning on the illuminations at 6.15pm.

In Beaulieu a festive fun run for all ages will take place from 9am on Saturday 3rd December in aid of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

The Festive Dash sees participants walk or run a three-kilometre course through the gardens of the National Motor Museum, with festive fancy dress encouraged.

Adult tickets are £10, children are £5, and under-fives go free. All tickets include discounted entry to the museum.

Participants who raise over £50 will be in with a chance of winning an iPad. Visit www.hiowaa.org/event/festive-dash

Also on Saturday 3rd December is Highcliffe’s Christmas lights switch-on at 6pm.

Highcliffe Charity Players’ pantomime characters will entertain youngsters and Santa will be making a visit in his sleigh, handmade by Christchurch Men’s Shed.

Organisers of the Totton lantern parade have confirmed it will take place on Sunday 4th December after being cancelled two years running by the pandemic. The event also includes stalls, refreshments and a funfair.

A Santa fun run, organised by 5th Testwood Scouts, will also take place in the town from 9.30am on Sunday 11th December. There are two courses at this year’s event, which begins and ends at the Empire Hall in Library Road: a 2.5km family run or a longer 5km route.

A Christmas fair will be held until 12.30pm.

To register visit www.5thtestwoodscouts.co.uk/santa-run

Also in Totton, resident Mary Whitcher will be decorating her house in Coblands Avenue to raise money for Oakhaven Hospice, including a raffle, from 1st December until 1st January.

In Fordingbridge on Thursday 8th December from 1.45pm-4.30pm there will be a free, drop-in afternoon tea for seniors and community volunteers, organised by the town council at the Town Hall with a performance by a pianist.