A Magical Christmas Line-up!
19th November 2019
From gorgeous gift ideas to got-to-have gadgets and divine décor to show-stopping styles, Garden Square Shopping Centre in Letchworth is your one-stop-shop this Christmas.
And with enchanting events in partnership with Love Letchworth, plenty of in-store promotions and cracking Christmas giveaways, it really is the place to be for some extra sparkle this season.
Ghost Caribou
To complement the Letchworth Christmas Lights Switch On event on Saturday 23rd November, Garden Square & Love Letchworth welcomes Ghost Caribou to the town. Ghost Caribou are hauntingly beautiful illuminated creatures – part caribou, part spirit. This street act uses music, song and shadow puppetry to create awe-inspiring displays of magic and wonder. Along with their wild herdsperson, they tell stories of lost homes, impossible migrations and seeds of hope, before continuing their journey into their beautiful dreamworld.
The act will be performing at 1pm and 3pm in Garden Square and will then lead the Christmas Parade around Letchworth at 5pm – culminating in the Christmas Lights Switch On.
Meet Bjorn the Polar Bear
To keep up the festive momentum, Garden Square and Love Letchworth welcomes Bjorn the Polar Bear to its malls on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th December. Bjorn is an awe-inspiring animatronic polar bear, complete with blinking eyes, a sniffing nose, moving mouth and realistic sounds! His assistant Innuit, Ursula, accompanies Bjorn and will help to educate children about polar bears, their plight in the wild and associated environmental issues.
Bjorn will be appearing at Garden Square at 11am, 1pm and 3pm on both days.
Nutcracker Trail and Craft Workshop
On the lead up to Christmas, twenty-one Nutcracker Soldiers will also be hiding in stores in Letchworth town centre – so be on your guard! From Monday 9th until Sunday 22nd December, these festive figures will be displaying different Christmas Symbols. Quick march your way to the Love Letchworth office at 76 Eastcheap to pick up your Nutcracker Trail Map. When you have your map, use it to note down the symbol each Nutcracker character is holding.
Completed forms can then be submitted to the Garden Square letterbox next to the Reverse Vending Machine or the Love Letchworth office, for the chance to win a festive hamper worth £100! Entries must be received prior to 22nd December.
Each trail map also features a Nutcracker picture which can be coloured in by children. Completed and submitted pictures will be displayed in a retail unit in Garden Square – with one picture chosen to win a family set of tickets to Letchworth’s Ice Rink.
In association with the trail, Garden Square and Love Letchworth will be hosting a FREE Nutcracker Tree Decoration Craft Workshop on Saturday 14th December from 10am to 3pm. Little ones can use a variety of materials and techniques to make their own version of this classic Christmas character. Trained supervisors will be on hand to offer creative guidance.
Santa’s Grotto
Santa Claus makes a welcome return to Garden Square this year to see who has been naughty and nice. The jolly old fellow with the big belly and bushy beard will be in his grotto on Saturday 23rd and 30th November, and 14th and 21st December.
Entry is £3 per child or £5 for 2 children, with all monies going to local causes; the Prospects Trust and 1st Baldock (Templars) Cub Scouts.
Christmas Late Night Shopping
During December, participating retailers will be staying open until 8pm on Friday 6th, 13th and 20th December for Christmas shopping opportunities. Letchworth multi-storey car park will also be FREE to use after 3pm on these days – staying open until 9pm.
Jack Philbin, Garden Square’s Centre Manager, says: “We are delighted to be able to offer our shoppers and visitors a wealth of Christmas entertainment and activities! Ghost Caribou, Bjorn the Polar Bear, the Nutcracker Trail and associated craft workshop are likely to be extremely popular and we advise people to arrive early to avoid disappointment. As always, we’re honoured to be welcoming Santa Claus back to the Square and look forward to raising some much-needed funds for two worthwhile charities. Happy Christmas from everyone at Garden Square!”
