A series of community-focused events is at the heart of Mansfield District Council’s Christmas plans.

It decided in April that because of the likely ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, instead of a big Christmas lights switch-on event it would be safer to run a variety of reduced-capacity attractions.

These will include a free family event — Mansfield Winter Festival — in Titchfield Park in December, various free town centre entertainments, and a tour of a giant inflatable snow globe around neighbourhoods in the district.

The council will also lead a community gift appeal to support vulnerable local people and is a financial partner in Mansfield BID’s Christmas Market (see page 3).

There will be a small ceremony in the Market Place on Saturday, 27th November, to open the Christmas in Mansfield campaign.

The ceremony will be led by the Mayor of Mansfield, Andy Abrahams, who will also be launching a community Christmas gift appeal that will run until mid-December.

“Our aim for the Christmas in Mansfield campaign this year is to put a focus on the community — to support vulnerable people who may have been in real difficulty due to the pandemic,” he said.

“We want to bring Christmas cheer to boost morale and encourage neighbourly togetherness as well as to improve health and wellbeing in the district.”

The community support efforts will include a repeat of last year’s successful and popular Secret Santa Appeal, which saw people take presents to drop-off points to be distributed to families and people in need in time for Christmas.

One of the main Christmas in Mansfield events will be the Winter Festival in Titchfield Park on Saturday, 18th December with Christmas movies, a children’s party and a Santa meet-and-greet in a heated marquee.

The marquee events will be ticketed sessions for up to 750 people at a time. Tickets will be free, although people will be encouraged to make a donation to a community appeal.

Details of where and how to book will be released soon.

Outside in the park there will be a snow machine, food vendors and walkabout entertainment for all to enjoy.
In the town centre the main event will be the I Love Mansfield Christmas Market, delivered by Mansfield BID and funding partner Mansfield District Council, from 27th November until 22nd December.

Other attractions in the town centre include a 7.5m light tunnel leading to an illuminated Old Town Hall, where people can drop off gifts for the Secret Santa Appeal or post a letter to Father Christmas. The Market Place will also host late-night shopping markets on Thursdays in December and there will be walkabout entertainment and live music on other dates.

As well as the familiar Christmas tree in the Market Place, there will also be new festive decorations lighting up the Old Town Hall.

Outside the town centre, at the end of November and on Saturdays during December, a giant inflatable snow globe, in which people can take selfie photos, will pop up in various neighbourhoods, including Pleasley, Warsop, and the Oak Tree, Ladybrook and Bellamy estates in Mansfield.

Elsewhere the council’s Cultural Services will be supporting Christmas clubs, delivered as part of Nottinghamshire County Council Winterfest holiday activities.

More details of the festive activities in Mansfield will be released throughout November and December on the council’s Facebook page and at www.mansfield.gov.uk/whatson.