CHIPPING Sodbury’s Christmas lights will be turned on at the town’s annual Victorian Day for the first time this year.

Disney favourites Anna and Elsa, from the hit film Frozen, will switch on the thousands of sparkling lights which every year adorn several Christmas trees and line the High Street’s medieval buildings at 6pm on Friday, December 4.

The occasion is the first time Chipping Sodbury has held an official lights switch on in living memory.

Victorian Day co-chairman Alice Crowley, owner of Swagger Gifts, said: “We wanted to do something different which would appeal to younger people.

“We hope it will encourage families to come out a little bit earlier than normal to see the lights being turned on.”

Anna and Elsa will also sing live in a performance on a temporary stage in Broad Street, at 5.50pm.

This year’s Victorian Day, which marks the start of the Christmas countdown in Chipping Sodbury, begins at 1pm with performances by pupils from The Ridge Junior School, Raysfield Infant and Junior Schools and St John’s Mead Primary School.

Other entertainment will include a Punch and Judy show, Alfredo the Clown, Morris dancing, Street Cred dance crew, pipers, traditional organs and steam engines and singing on stage from Yate Choral Society and Dodington Parish Band.

There will also be traditional fairground rides, a chance to visit Father Christmas in his grotto from 2pm, and shops including market traders in Hatherell’s Yard will open late until 9pm with many shopkeepers dressing up in Victorian costumes for the day. A crib festival at St John’s Church will also open late and in one of the most anticipated parts of the annual event, Father Christmas will arrive on his sleigh at 7pm.

Candy floss and sweet stalls, a hog roast, mulled wine and mince pies and roasted chestnuts will be available and restaurants, pubs and cafes will be serving up festive treats.

Co-chairman of the committee Amy Curtis-Whitfield, of The Sodbury Florist, said visitors were welcome to wear their own Victorian outfits.

“We hope people will get into the spirit of the event and dress up if they wish to,” she said.

“We have made some changes this year and hope to appeal to families and continue the success of previous years.”

Also new for this year is a free letters to Father Christmas scheme. Children can post their letters to Santa in The Sodbury Florist before December 5 and replies will be available from the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) from December 12.

Ahead of Victorian Day, 38 businesses on the High Street will be decorating their shop windows on the theme of a Christmas song. People have between December 1 and 8 to guess all the songs on a trail similar to the summer’s spot the error competition which runs during the Sodbury Festival. Entry forms are available from the TIC and the winner will win £30. The shop with the best window display will win £100 for their chosen charity.

A raffle, to be drawn on Saturday, December 12 (3pm) outside the TIC, will raise funds for Victorian Day. The top prizes are a family ticket to the Bristol Hippodrome pantomime, Sunday lunch at Tortworth Court Hotel for four people and a Christmas turkey from Jon Howell Family Butchery. Tickets are available from Swagger, The Sodbury Florist and the Card Boutique.

Roads will be closed around Chipping Sodbury on Friday, December 4. Motorists are asked not to park on the chippings before the event.