With solstice banners created by schoolchildren, real Christmas trees decorated by Lowestoft businesses, and festive lights aplenty, a seafront pavilion is ready for a packed programme of Christmas events and activities.
Seasonal celebrations at East Point Pavilion in Lowestoft start from 4pm to 9pm on Friday, December 2 with the Festive Fayre showcasing community music, gift stalls and visiting traders.
Music and carol singing from Pakefield Singers, The Seagull Singers and Out of Nowhere Swing Trio - amongst others - will feature along with 22 gifts, craft and produce stalls as well as activities for children.
New week, across lunch and dinner on Wednesday and Thursday, December 7-8, East Point Pavilion will be offering The Alternative Christmas Feasts.
With the traditional turkey meal replaced by a relaxed street food smorgasbord, there will be special seasonal menus from a mix of existing Pavilion traders and special pop-up kitchens.
The Feasts will be served up alongside live music and a festive atmosphere, and audiences are encouraged to reserve tables in advance for free online.
These events will take place in the seafront space that has been dressed with flags created by local schoolchildren as part of the Flags Up for Solstice project, which has been supported by Lowestoft Rising CEP.
Schools across East Suffolk submitted flag designs around the theme of the winter solstice - with 12 turned into large scale flags that are being hung in the Pavilion across the winter.
Of the successful designs, a winner and runner up will be selected to receive £300 and £200 respectively for their schools.
The prize money is generously supported by Lowestoft Rising, who will also be the judges, as the winners are announced at 5pm at the Festive Fayre event.
Genevieve Christie, CEO of First Light Festival CIC, which manages the pavilion, said: "It’s our first full festive season at East Point Pavilion, and we’re delighted to offer such a wonderfully diverse mix of events across December."
Phil Aves, chairman of Lowestoft Rising LCEP, said: "Lowestoft Rising Cultural Education Partnership was pleased to partner with First Light on the wonderful Solstice Flag competition and once again our young people across the Schools showed their talents with design.
"They all look wonderful fluttering in the roof space of the Pavilion.
"Well done to all who took part."
The pavilion is now also filled with eight real Christmas trees, which have been decorated by local businesses ABP, Access Community Trust, Anglian Water, Citrus Security Shredding, Essex & Suffolk Water, Inspire Suffolk, Lowestoft Vision & Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, The Rum Lot and The Seagull Theatre.
Teams from each company visited the Pavilion last week in what was a cheerful morning of festive decorating and community activity.
Last Thursday, November 24, members of the Squawk musical theatre group - the music and drama group for adults with additional needs from the Seagull Theatre in Pakefield - visited the pavilion to decorate one of the East Point Pavilion Christmas trees they have sponsored.
Bernadette, Callum, Ben, Ella, Wendy, Eddie and Emma joined group leaders Imogen and Emily in decorating the tree - and they were extremely proud of their results.
Squawk is a free weekly music and dance group which runs at The Seagull every Thursday during term time.
Seagull Theatre manager, Karen Read, said: "When we heard about the East Point Christmas trees, we immediately knew this would be a great fun project for our Squawk group."
Ross Smith, partnerships manager for Essex and Suffolk Water, said: "Supporting the communities in which we work is really important to us and we’re delighted to be sponsoring a Christmas Tree with First Light at East Point Pavilion in Lowestoft."
Lucia Firman, service delivery co-ordinator at ABP, said: "We are delighted to sponsor the Christmas tree at East Point Pavilion in Lowestoft and hope that it will put smiles on the faces of members of the local community."
As well as the Fayre and Feasts, the Pavilion will play host to a series of other festive events, and non-festive events, with details online.
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