Christmas Charter Market Launch Event
Live music and dancing are among the attractions at a fun event to launch the St Albans Christmas Charter Market.
The Charter Market will run every day, rather than just Wednesday and Saturday, from Sunday 15 December until Christmas Eve.
It will open this Sunday (15) with a free entertainment programme from 10am to 4.30pm with something to suit people of all ages.
The acts will perform in a marquee in front of the Museum + Gallery, close to the illuminated carriage.
Among the performers are singers Benjamin Beechey and Grace George and rock bands Rylands Heath and The Maida Vales who will bring the event to a close at 4pm.
There will also be around 100 traders operating from market stalls, selling toys, clothes, novelty gifts, arts and crafts and many other products.
Some of the traders will be coming to St Albans for the first time while there will be many regulars and old favourites.
The New Fighting Elves pop-up bar, offering mulled wine and other festive drinks, will add to the atmosphere while there will be numerous street food outlets.
A number of charities will have stalls to promote and explain their work throughout the market’s festive season. At the launch event, Herts Wildlife Trust and Herts Young Homeless will be present.
This is the first time that the Christmas Charter Market, organised by St Albans City and District Council, has been launched in this way.
Joe Tavernier, the Council’s Head of Community Services, said:
This is an innovative approach to kicking off the annual Christmas Charter Market.
We are hoping the varied street entertainment will give the market a boost by bringing several thousand more people to the City Centre than normal.
It will be an exciting event with live music on throughout the day, provided by local artists, as well as displays of dance.
People will also be able to browse the scores of market stalls to buy a few Christmas presents and support our local traders and producers. They can also check out our City Centre retailers.
They will also have the chance to enjoy some food and drink from the takeaway stalls, too, and when the market closes, they can continue to eat and drink at one of our fantastic restaurants, bars and pubs.
Among the other live acts performing at the marquee are the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts, StageArts and Brilliant Theatre Arts.
There is to be an encore to the Christmas Charter Market launch event with more live entertainment on Sunday 22 December.
This will include a Christmas singalong with Joanna Hughes followed by local bands including Vertigo, Kaspar and the Swamp Dogs and WINK.
Contact for the media:
John McJannet,
Principal Communications Officer,
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819533
Email: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.