Whitby Christmas Festival: from food and drink stalls to live music and fireworks, here's the schedule
It's nearly that time of year again! Whitby's Christmas Festival is back again – and organisers vow it will be bigger and better than last year.
The popular annual event runs this year from Friday November 15 to Sunday November 17 and will include stalls for you to buy Christmas gifts, enjoy live music, and a spectacular display of fireworks over the course of the weekend.
The Christmas lights will be switched on by Whitby Coastal Rowing Club’s England international rowers Marc Wilson and Sefi Ormston, who were among a team of 10 England rowers at a home international regatta in September.
Marc rowed as a junior for Whitby Friendship Rowing Club before taking up coastal sculling around four years ago after many years as a cyclist and track sprinter.
Now captain of Whitby Coastal Rowing Club, Marc became Welsh champion in the double sculls earlier in the year and is currently a British silver medallist in the men’s quad.
Sefi joined Whitby Coastal Rowing Club two years ago and hasn’t looked back, becoming a British U19 champion in the mixed double and a Welsh champion in the women’s U19 double going on to join the England national team.
The pair will be joined on the Christmas Festival stage on the Friday night by Zack Hills another England international rower, as well as students from Whitby’s Stakesby Primary Academy.
This year’s event will see the creation of Yuletide Yard, with all the food, drink and entertainment in one area, with covered areas to eat and drink just in case it rains.
SCHEDULE - Friday November 15
5pm Market opened by Whitby Mayor, Coun Bob Dalrymple
5.15pm Stakesby Primary Academy choir
6.30pm Skandals
7.45pm Town Mayor, celebrities and Stakesby School pupils on stage
Saturday November 16
10am Market opens
11am The Swinging Santas
1.15pm Swinton and District Excelsior Band
2.30pm Windmill Girls
4pm Paddy & Nicky kids disco
5.15pm Quayside Spinners
6pm Falsetto Frank and the Longmen
7.45pm Fireworks display
8pm close
Sunday November 17
10am Market opens
11am Esk Valley Concert Band
noon Whitby Area Concert Band
1.10pm Whitby Community Choir
2.30pm Christmas Music Singing
4pm close