Your guide to the Bury St Edmunds Christmas lights switch on and St Edmund's Weekend Spectacular
The Christmas lights are up in Bury St Edmunds, as the town prepares for its festive light switch on, where children will get the chance to meet Paddington and Santa.
However entertainment on the stage outside Moyse's Hall Museum has been cancelled due to bad weather.
Read on for your everything you need to know guide to the big switch on and the special St Edmund's Weekend Spectacular in the Abbey Gardens.
When is the Bury St Edmunds Christmas light switch on?
The switch on will take place tonight - Thursday, November 17.
This will link in nicely with the St Edmunds Weekend Spectacular which will also start tonight and run until Sunday, November 20.
What time will the Christmas lights be switched on in Bury St Edmunds town centre?
Just like last year the lights will be on for the whole event which will run from 3pm - 8pm.
The idea of this is to avoid large crowds gathering.
This is a great for younger children who can pop by and see the lights on the way home from school, rather than waiting until the evening.
When can you meet Paddington and Santa?
Star of the show Paddington will be appearing in the town centre between 2pm-6pm and will be interacting with the public for around 40 minutes every hour on the hour.
You will be able to see the loveable bear, for free, on Cornhill, in the Buttermarket and near Moyse's Hall Museum.
Just like Paddington, Santa will be making appearances throughout the event, meaning there will be plenty of opportunities for children to meet him.
What else will be happening at the Christmas light switch on?
As well as fun fair rides and charity stalls there will be street entertainers in the town centre.
Traditional Victorian carol singers will be on Angel Hill for 30 minutes on the hour, every hour, between 3pm - 7pm.
Mark Cordell, chief executive of Our Bury St Edmunds said: "This event kick starts pre Christmas activities in the town centre and we are looking forward, once more, to a big turn out."
What is the St Edmund's Weekend Spectacular?
Billed as a spectacular light show, the event will feature light projections onto the Norman Tower and St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
The video projections of carefully-researched historic images will be 3D-mapped directly onto the surface of the buildings and a themed light trail will take visitors through the Abbey Gardens.
The event has been created by the award-winning Projection Studio, who have created 3D video mapping on several landmark buildings including Blackpool Tower and York Minster.
