Christmas gets underway at Wembley Park next week with the arrival of a 15 foot high tree in Market Square on Wednesday. (December 4)
And there are plenty of festive activities to enjoy alongside the glittering lights of the shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Winter in Wembley Park takes in concerts, choirs, children's activities, illuminated art installations and markets across the area.
Christmas Concert
Kickstarting the celebrations on December 7 is a free open air concert in the Sound Shell on Olympic Way. Running from 1-6pm, A Global Christmas: A Thousand Years of Festive Music Through Cultures aims to share the universal spirit of Christmas through music.
Steel pans bring a Caribbean touch to familiar carols alongside Motown and Afro-American classics. Brass quartets will evoke the traditions of Victorian Christmas, while the Hurdy-Gurdy and Hammered Dulcimer intertwine with Indian Dhol drums, Arabic melodies and Balkan rhythms.
Festive Market
Also starting on December 7 is Wembley Park's Festive Market with 100 stalls selling artisan and festive products over three weekends in December from 11am to 7pm.
Visitors to Market Square can shop for unique gifts, international flavours and seasonal treats, from Italian Panettone, wine and truffles, to South American Alpaca crafts and clothing and African textiles. Food stalls will also offer Caribbean street food, Hungarian pastries, German and Polish sausages, Turkish flatbreads, and Chinese flavours.
On Market days the Sound Shell will host a free programme of festive choirs and life-sized puppets including giant penguins, reindeers and polar bears.
Exhibition
Back by popular demand From Saint to Santa is a free outdoor exhibition in Arena Square which explores the history and evolution of Santa Claus across different cultures and traditions.
Festive Fun for Young Ones
Free to attend on Saturday December 7, Festive Fun: A Merry Celebration for Young Ones runs at the Fresh Arts community hub from 2-4pm and is aimed at ages 4 – 11-year-olds. Early booking is recommended for the event which includes arts and craft activities including bauble and lantern making, games, a disco, pizza and prizes for the best outfits.
A new audio-visual 3D art installation Trialogue is part of Wembley's popular public Art Trail. Trialogue has been created by audio-visual artists Greenaway & Greenaway and breathes new life into three Grade II-listed red telephone boxes in Arena Square.
The Festive Throwback
Best Served Cold: The Festive Throwback runs at BOXPARK Wembley on Saturday December 14 from 4pm and features LEMAR, Blazin’ Squad, Big Brovaz, Booty Luv and Sol & The Gang, as a blast from the past for the ultimate Christmas party.
There's also a live cine-concert production of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas at the OVO Wembley Arena, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express at the Troubadour, and of course Christmas shopping and bargains at the London Designer Outlet.
“Winter in Wembley Park is such a wonderful time of year," said Claudio Giambrone, Head of Cultural Programming, Wembley Park.
The neighbourhood is awash with festive attractions from free concerts to children’s celebrations, art installations and seasonal treats at the festive markets, ensuring that residents and visitors can make cherished memories at Wembley Park this season.”
Further details from www.wembleypark.com.
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