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Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre replacement events are revealed




The series of festive events lined-up to replace the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre has been revealed.

West Suffolk Council announced in March that it would no longer stage the four day fayre, which attracted about 130,000 people to the town, and it would be replaced by a linked set of attractions.

The Christmas in Bury St Edmunds programme has now been announced and will include a dozen Christmas cabin stalls at the arc shopping centre from November into December.

The Christmas in Bury St Edmunds events will replace the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre (pictured). Picture: West Suffolk Council
The Christmas in Bury St Edmunds events will replace the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre (pictured). Picture: West Suffolk Council

From Thursday, November 24 to Sunday, November 27, St Edmundsbury Cathedral will host its Christmas Market selling a variety of handmade crafts and gifts.

It will be complemented by about 45 market stalls in The Apex and a mini-makers market in the Unitarian Meeting House.

Also at the weekend, the Constitutional Club will hold its Winter Beer Festival with the West Suffolk branch of CAMRA.

The Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre was cancelled for the last two years due to the pandemic. Picture: Andy and Suzanne Abbott
The Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre was cancelled for the last two years due to the pandemic. Picture: Andy and Suzanne Abbott
Christmas cabin stalls will be set up at the arc shopping centre
Christmas cabin stalls will be set up at the arc shopping centre

There will also be an array of street entertainment.

All the events are being planned, delivered and paid for by the new Christmas in Bury St Edmunds Partnership to replace the Christmas Fayre, which had been cancelled over the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The partnership includes the arc, Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District, Bury St Edmunds Town Council, St Edmundsbury Cathedral and West Suffolk Council.

Mark Cordell, chief executive of the BID, said: "Like many of our businesses and the public I am disappointed that it’s not been possible to host a nationally acclaimed Christmas event this year as was the case before Covid but nonetheless I believe that working with partners we have come up with an interesting and longer lasting series of events, which will hopefully still attract many people to the town, without creating the disruption across the town that the Christmas Fayre did.”

Market stalls will be in The Apex. Picture: Andy and Suzanne Abbott
Market stalls will be in The Apex. Picture: Andy and Suzanne Abbott
St Edmundsbury Cathedral will host a Christmas Market. Picture: Mecha Morton
St Edmundsbury Cathedral will host a Christmas Market. Picture: Mecha Morton
The Bury St Edmunds Winter Beer Festival at the Constitutional Club returns – Neil Rayson (left), Emma Conley and Ian McCabe last year. Picture: Phil Morley
The Bury St Edmunds Winter Beer Festival at the Constitutional Club returns – Neil Rayson (left), Emma Conley and Ian McCabe last year. Picture: Phil Morley

The events are in addition to the Our Bury St Edmunds Christmas Lights Event on November 17, which will be followed by the St Edmund's Weekend Spectacular in the Abbey Gardens and cathedral from November 17 to 20 (St Edmund's Day).

The Weekend Spectacular, which concludes the Abbey 1,000 celebrations, is a light show with 3D projections on the Norman Tower and cathedral tower, with a light trail through the abbey ruins.

The St Edmund's Weekend Spectacular will feature a light show including a projection onto the Norman Tower. Picture courtesy of the Projection Studio
The St Edmund's Weekend Spectacular will feature a light show including a projection onto the Norman Tower. Picture courtesy of the Projection Studio

Cllr Susan Glossop, Portfolio Holder for Growth for West Suffolk Council, said: “I would like to thank the partnership in coming together to work on delivering a series of festive activities that will last into December and support our local businesses and help everyone have a great Christmas.

"While this will be different from previous events it is being delivered over a longer period of time with new attractions.

"We want to create an attractive, enjoyable and safe event and one that will complement the Abbey 1000 celebrations as well as the other festivities that will be going on in November and December."