Unwrap the magic of Christmas in Castlebar
CHRISTMAS magic will fill the air in Castlebar this December.
Capturing the essence of the season, Christmas in Castlebar invites everyone to unwrap the magic of Christmas with a visit to the county town.
With the switching on of the Christmas lights at Market Square on November 29 (election day), events throughout the month include a Christmas market, Christmas Magic at the barracks, movies under the stars at Collectors Lane, or hop on board the Christmas Mall Express train.
Local venues are offering a host of festive entertainment, including A Christmas Carol, Make Music Christmas Concert and Elf The Movie (Linenhall Arts Centre), while the TF Royal's offering includes Santa's Super Show, while post Christmas there's the excellent Once Upon a Time in Panto Land.
Lough Lannagh will have its floating Christmas tree and also some festive lighting, thanks to the Tidy Towns and Community Clean-up groups, and events at the lake include the Christmas Park Run on December 21 and Christmas GOAL Mile run on December 25.
The lights at the Mall will look a little different this year. When turned on last week, seven trees only had about a quarter of their lights. The solution is to wrap the trunks, and it will still be an impressive lighting display.
The initiatives have been developed with support from a once-off Christmas funding allocation announced by Minister of State Alan Dillon, and the list of events was enthusiastically received by local councillors when they were updated at their monthly municipal meeting yesterday.
It is hoped to build on the 'Christmas in Castlebar' brand going forward, said municipal head David Mellett.
The events are spread over the month, from November 26, providing a huge offering for people visiting or staying in Castlebar.
Full information on all events in Castlebar and across the Castlebar Municipal District will be published soon on mayo.ie.
Date events include:
Christmas Movies Under the Stars: November 30 and December 1.
Christmas markets: weekends of December 6, 7 and 8, and December 13, 14 and 15.
Christmas Magic in the Barracks: two weekends (December 7 and 8 and December 14 and 15).
Christmas Mall Express at the Mall: December 14 and 15.