A seasonal celebration is set to welcome the Christmas period to Newport with an afternoon packed with entertainment for all ages.
The city will begin its holiday preparations on Saturday, November 14, staging its traditional Countdown to Christmas gathering between 2pm and 5.30pm.
The occasion has been arranged through collaboration between Newport Now Business Improvement District, Newport City Council and Newport City Radio.
The programme includes live entertainment, famous faces and the ceremonial illumination of the town’s festive decorations.
A central performance area will be established at the crossroads of Charles Street and Commercial Street, hosting musical acts throughout the event.
Three principal performers, whose collective global record sales exceed 25 million copies, have been secured as headliners.
They will appear alongside Newport’s first citizen, Councillor Deb Harvey, for the official activation of the Christmas lights.
Attendees can also look forward to amusement park attractions, performers in elaborate costumes, artistic face decorations and appearances by members of the cast from this year’s production of Cinderella at the Riverfront Theatre.
Father Christmas will additionally make an appearance before the programme culminates with the lights ceremony and a light display presentation in John Frost Square.
Zep Bellavia, chairman of Newport Now BID, stated that the organisation was delighted to be presenting its eleventh consecutive Countdown to Christmas gathering to signal the start of the Christmas trading period in the urban centre.
The committee expressed confidence that this year’s gathering would attract comparable attendance to earlier editions and promised the customary family-friendly atmosphere.
The BID serves as the representative body for over 600 commercial enterprises operating within the city centre district.
The overwhelming proportion of these are independent traders, and the organisation expressed hope that residents of Newport and the surrounding region would utilise their services throughout the Christmas purchasing season.
Additional information regarding the celebrity attendees and musical acts will be released over the coming weeks.
Newport Now BID has coordinated activities and initiatives benefiting city centre traders since 2015.
Its initiatives encompass street representatives, financial assistance for shopfront renovations and a gift card programme for the city centre.
The yearly holiday celebration aims to attract shoppers to the city centre and provide backing for commercial establishments during the peak festive shopping timeframe.