CHRISTMAS IN CREDITON will be really special this year.

Two Late Night Shopping evenings have been planned, for Thursday, November 28 and Thursday, December 12, when most of the town's shops will stay open late to allow everyone to do more of their Christmas shopping.

On November 28, there will also be the "Switch On Parade" and Lights Switch On Ceremony".

Everyone is invited to watch the parade, either from the High Street or await its arrival in the Town Square.

There is an opportunity to join the parade, gathering at 5.45pm at St Lawrence Green.

Children and adults, or community groups are invited to take part, dressing as characters from any Christmas pantomime or folk tale.

Take your pick from Robin Hood, the bad Sheriff, Maid Marian and her merry outlaws; Cinderella and her sisters, then there's pirates from Treasure Island, the list is endless!

The colourful parade will also feature snowflakes, flags, a band of musicians, community groups and Father Christmas.

The parade will leave the Green at 6pm and lights on the shops' Christmas trees will come on as it passes by.

The High Street will be decorated with an impressive spread of 50 Christmas trees, with white lights, on shop and business fronts.

In addition, a cross-street decoration will be another feature in the High Street, which will be the first cross-street Christmas decoration for many years.

The parade will make its way down North Street and arrive at the Town Square where it will be welcomed by music from Crediton Town Band and the local radio station, Radio Exe roadshow.

There will be a welcome by the Mayor of Crediton, Cllr Frank Letch.

This will then be followed by Lights Switch On Ceremony to light the 4,000 "twinkling" LED energy-saving lights on the 30ft high town Christmas Tree.

Everyone will be invited to join in a countdown to switch on the lights, maybe with a rehearsal or two, led by award-winning Radio Exe presenter Ashley Jeary.

With so many lights, it is expected that the tree will certainly have the "Wow" factor this year!

Father Christmas will then give away sweets to the children.

After the parade and Lights Switch On, everyone will be encouraged to visit the shops and businesses.

On Thursday, December 12, the second Late Night Shopping Evening, buskers and musicians will visit shops and busk in the streets.

A competition for the Best Decorated Shop Window with a "Christmas" theme will be run by the Crediton Courier during the afternoon.

Judges will be Nemo Shaw from the Community Council of Devon and David Fitzgerald from BBC Radio Devon. Fitz also intends to broadcast his radio show "live" from the town during the evening.

Crediton Town Council, the Arts Centre and CRAMP complete their Christmas in Crediton preparations with the annual Fayre in the Square on Saturday, December 14.

For further details of the parade, please contact Peter Hamilton or Rosemary Stephenson at Crediton Arts Centre.

A free town Christmas Party, a family event to be held in the Old Town Hall, is also being organised by Natalia Letch and will be held on Saturday, December 21, starting at 1.30pm.

Alan Quick