Douglas is set to dazzle on Thursday November 20th when the Christmas lights are switched on and the festive season officially starts in the capital.

Ridgeway Street outside Douglas Town Hall will be the setting for an evening of family entertainment compered by 3FM that starts at 6.15pm when Douglas Town Band sets the mood by playing Christmas carols before local singer Rebecca Forrest performs some seasonal numbers at 6.30pm. At 6.45pm the Roc Vannin choir will bring their own unique musical style to the occasion, to be followed by a sneak preview of ‘Puss in Boots and the Three Musketeers’, this year’s pantomime at the Gaiety Theatre, before the Mayor of Douglas Stan Cain joins the proceedings accompanied by the mayor’s chaplain the Rev John Coldwell who will offer prayers. Then at 7.15pm the Mayor will switch on the Christmas lights, ‘snow’ will fall, Santa will be in his grotto in the Ridgeway Street garden area, Thursday late-night shopping begins…and Christmas comes to the capital.

Motorists are advised that on Thursday November 20th the section of Ridgeway Street and King Street between Lord Street and Victoria Street and Prospect Hill from Ridgeway Street and Athol Street will be closed to traffic between 6pm and midnight and parking will be suspended on the east side of Ridgeway Street between Lord Street and Athol Street from 12 noon until midnight.

This annual event is always well attended and for safety reasons the Council may have to restrict numbers.

There will be free parking in Douglas Borough Council’s Shaw’s Brow and Bottleneck car parks from 5 to 10pm on pre-Christmas Thursdays from November 20th and all day Saturday and Sunday until December 24th.

Additionally the Department of Infrastructure has confirmed there will be free parking in Chester Street car park and on Loch Promenade walkway on Thursdays from 6pm from November 20th to December 18th and on Saturdays from November 22nd to December 20th.