Towns across Renfrewshire will officially mark the start of the festive season as Christmas lights are switched on over the coming weeks at a series of events supported by Renfrewshire Council.
In Renfrew, the celebrations return to the town centre with a full festive day out for all the family from 12 noon on Saturday 22nd November.
There will be live stage performances from local acts and primary school choirs throughout the day, a family funfair in the Charles Avenue car park and a Christmas Market selling seasonal treats.
Santa will be based in Renfrew Fellowship Church to hear what young residents are hoping to find in their stockings this year. There will also be free Scottish and festive music sessions in Renfrew Town Hall with Fèis Phàislig running across the afternoon.
The day will finish with the traditional Renfrew Burgh Band carol concert in the town hall at 3:30pm. Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron will then join Renfrew’s Christmas Card competition winner to switch on the lights at 5pm.
Erskine’s lights will be switched on the following week, on Friday 28th November from 5:45pm at Bridgewater Shopping Centre, outside Erskine Swimming Pool.
Santa will be in Erskine collecting Christmas letters and families will have the chance to step inside a giant snowglobe for festive photos. Local community groups and businesses will run stalls and there will be performances from school choirs and visits from festive characters.
At 7pm, Provost Cameron will present Erskine’s Young Citizen of the Year Award before joining the town’s Christmas Card competition winner to switch on the lights. The event is organised by Erskine & District Rotary Club with support from Renfrewshire Council.
Johnstone’s turn comes on Saturday 29th November, when Houstoun Square will be transformed into a winter wonderland.
The bandstand will host live entertainment from 1pm, with Johnstone Sound and local performers on stage throughout the afternoon. Santa will be in town, and St Vincent’s Hospice will host a Christmas Market offering an early chance to pick up gifts.
There will be activities for all ages, including a funfair, free festive photo opportunities and facepainting. At 5pm, the community will gather as Provost Cameron and Johnstone’s Christmas Card competition winner switch on the town’s Christmas lights.
Linwood will round off the programme with a special carol concert on Friday 5th December in Tweedie Hall, featuring performances from local school choirs and Johnstone Band.
The concert itself is fully booked, but there will still be free drop-in festive activities from 5:30pm inside Tweedie Hall, including storytelling, Christmas discos and arts and crafts. Linwood Library will stay open until 7:30pm with festive activities, and families can grab a photo inside the giant snowglobe before Santa and Renfrewshire’s Depute Provost Cathy McEwan switch on the lights at 7:30pm alongside Linwood’s Christmas Card competition winner.
This extended festive programme has been made possible thanks to extra investment from the council to work with local communities and deliver a bigger calendar of cultural events across the area’s main town centres.
Provost Lorraine Cameron said: “Switching the lights on is always one of the highlights of my year, and I’m delighted that local children from across Renfrewshire will once again be part of these special moments.
“Our communities always embrace the Christmas spirit and with events in every major town centre, families have plenty of choice for a festive day out.”
Research shows that around 70p of every pound spent locally stays in the local economy, and Renfrewshire Council is encouraging people attending the Christmas events to support the Spend Local campaign.
Visit https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/spendlocal for more information.
Headline photo: Last year’s Christmas lights switch on
Photo Credit: Renfrewshire Council