THE magic of Christmas begins in Tavistock on Saturday, November 16 with the festive lights being switched on two weeks early.

Tavistock Business Improvement District (BID) has organised the Christmas light switch-on event.

In recent years, the lights have formed part of the popular Dickensian Evening but local businesses requested that they be switched on earlier in order to make the most of the festive season.

The town’s lighting will also reach further than ever before, with Christmas lights extending into King Street and down to Meadowlands.

The light switch-on event will include an evening of entertainment, food and drink — as well as the announcement of the winners of BID’s Tavistock Customer Service Excellence Awards.

BID manager Janna Sanders said: ‘Dickensian Evening takes place on the first Friday of December which this year falls quite late (December 6).

‘Many businesses in the town expressed a desire to have the Christmas lights on before this in order to make the most of a special trading season.

‘Creating a new light switch-on event forms part of our 2016 business plan and we are really happy to support the high street with this new event.

‘Christmas in Tavistock will be bigger and better this year.

‘Thanks also go to Mount Kelly for helping with sponsorship (for sponsoring the main stage) and making this event a great evening for our community.

‘We hope that we will see many visitors and locals alike on the night.’

Headmaster of Mount Kelly Guy Ayling said: ‘Mount Kelly values deeply the community in which it exists and is always eager to support the Tavistock economy and its people.

‘We all hope that by sponsoring the stage at this event we can help facilitate and contribute to an important and much-enjoyed local occasion.’ 

In addition to the entertainment on Bedford Square, many town centre shops will be open later and an artisan food and gift market is taking place in Butchers’ Hall where everyone can enjoy lantern making workshops, more than 30 exhibitors and carol singing.

Janna added: ‘To add to the fun this Christmas, we are really excited to announce there will be an inaugural lantern parade taking place on Dickensian Evening.

‘Come along and join in the magic on Dickensian Evening,’ said the BID manager,