“Tales of Old” on Saturday December 10, peaks with the grand procession featuring Father Christmas, his reindeer and elves, Scorch the Dragon (last seen on Bonfire Night), fairytale characters and lots of lanterns – many made in the free workshop at the St Mary’s Centre beside the Kino cinema being held between 10am and 3pm that day. However, the carol concert in St Mary’s Church at 6pm and other events continue into the night.
The procession starts at 4:30pm from Station Approach by the bus stops, turns left along Cinque Ports Street, right at the Landgate, along the High Street and the Mint, then right along Wish Ward, right again into Cinque Ports Street and back via Landgate to end at the George in the High Street at around 5:30pm. And, given that Father Christmas will have arrived at the Town Hall at the top of Lion Street at 10am, it will have been a long and very full day with activities in many parts of the town.
Craft fairs will take part all day in the Rye Club in Market Road and Rye Community Centre in Conduit Hill while the Methodist Church in Church Square will stage a free Nativity Festival from 10am to 4pm and St Mary’s Centre will be offering face painting for £3 per face and a donation, from 10am to 3pm.
A Victorian carousel is in the Cattle Market car park (along with donkeys, normally based in Camber, giving rides in the car park for £3) from 10:30pm t0 4:30pm at £2 per ride on the carousel and Father Christmas is busy in the East Street Museum Grotto – fully booked except for the last hour from 4:15 to 5:15 pm. However, his reindeer are on Strand Quay from 12 noon and Mother Christmas is nearby in the Old Borough Arms on a first-come basis from 3pm to 6pm.
The Christmas Market is also down on the Strand from 11am to 5pm and the Cinque Ports Street car park features a giant snowglobe, a children’s teacup ride, face painting, Punch and Judy and various other activities, also from 11am-5pm.
Pop into the nearby Baptist Church and you can catch the Christmas tree competition along with a wish and prayer tree from 11am until 5pm, and make sure you pop into the shops as there are many activities there too. These include palm reading at Sue Ryder in the High Street between 10am and 12 noon; decorating Christmas biscuits in A Slice of Rye in Cinque Ports Street, and book signings at Rye Art Gallery (between 2pm and 4pm) and at the Rye Bookshop between 3pm and 5pm.
And, last but not least, Siren and Pearl will be tempting lingerie lovers between 5:30pm and 8pm with mulled wine.
Photo: Rye News library