TAVISTOCK’S Christmas festivities start tonight (Friday) with Dickensian Evening where local residents and visitors will get the chance to indulge in late-night shopping and tasty treats.

Shops will be open until 9pm and streets will be lined with live music, choirs, a magician, stilt walkers, Morris dancers, mulled wine and cider, fantastic food and Father Christmas on his sleigh — plus real life reindeers and huskies on West Street.

A part of Tavistock Business Improvement District’s (BID) Winter Festival, Dickensian Evening will start with the Christmas lights switch-on at 5.45pm with the help of nominated children from local schools, Tavistock town crier David Turner, and mayors of Tavistock and West Devon, Cllr Philip Sanders and Cllr Jeff Moody.

Throughout the night, adults and children will have the chance to meet Santa on West Street, sample the seasonal food, see the ever popular Robey Trust steam engines in action and then be a part of the carol service on Bedford Square.

Youngsters, and those young at heart, will have the chance to take part in Mr Buzzlewick’s Elf Emporium on Bank Square Car Park. For a small fee, people will be able to join Buzzlewick the elf and his friends to make reindeer food and elf elixir ready for Christmas Eve.

Barry Lowton from Shot in the Dark Discos, and Judy Lowton Facealicious are hosting the music in Bedford Square during the evening with their new music DJ roadshow van.

BID chairman Robin Rich said Dickensian Evening launches the festive season.

He said: ‘Dickensian is a very special date in the Tavistock calendar and is a way to get people to come to Tavistock and onto the streets to enjoy the lovely atmosphere.

‘This is the catalyst to start shopping and for the festive season to begin.

‘I want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in Dickensian Evening and doing their utmost to make sure everything is ready — it’s no easy feat.’

• The winter festival will also see the switch on of the Trees of Light tonight, (Thursday, November 30) at Tavistock Town Hall at 7pm and the launch of the Tavistock Christmas Tree Festival tomorrow (Friday), at 10am. The ninth annual festival will be staged at St Eustachius’ Church and include 65 trees decorated by local groups, businesses and organisations.

Running until Sunday, December 10, the trees will be glowing for the launch of St Eustachius’ Church’s 700th anniversary celebrations at its advent carol service, at 6pm on Sunday.

The festival will be opened by Tavistock mayor Cllr Philip Sanders.

As usual, thousands of people are expected to view the spectacular event. Since the festival opened in 2008, nearly 70,000 visitors have seen more than 450 trees, decorated by nearly 200 different local organisations and £77,000 has been raised towards the church’s upkeep.

The event will include music, stalls selling festive wares, coffee, teas, cakes, soup and toasted sandwich lunches.

Thanking all those who have helped make the event possible, vicar, the Very Rev Dr Christopher Hardwick, said: ‘Inspired by the imagination of local people and organisations, I hope you will enjoy the festival and come to see something of the joy of Christmas being celebrated in our parish church and reflected in the life of our town and community.’

The festival will be open from 10am to 4pm daily, except Wednesday 11.30am to 6.30pm, and Sundays, after services.