There are great expectations of how Christmas will be in Rye this year on Saturday week December 12, and the full timetable of events is now available. It is also being distributed with the December edition of “Fixtures” this week and is available at Adams in the High Street.
The day officially kicks off with Christmas storytelling at 10am in the Rye Bookshop in the High Street (though shops, stalls and other attractions may open earlier) and ends with the 6pm carol service at St Mary’s. But life goes on into the evening and you can expect events, partying and festive foods in pubs, restaurants and hotels around town up to closing time – whenever that happens to be.
During the day mulled wine can be found all over the place and do not be surprised to be welcomed into shops with refreshments and nibbles of various kinds.
As reported before, some attractions like the Father Christmas Grotto at the Museum, the ice rink at Strand Quay and the Richard Adams’ workshop are already sold out, but there are more than enough other attractions under headings like food and drink, performances, creative activity, and festive fun – not to mention shopping.
There is a Christmas Carol pantomime at the Mermaid at 11:30am, 2pm and 3:30pm along with other street performances at the Town Hall and the Strand Car Park – and indeed that car park and the other in Cinque Ports Street will be the focus of much activity.
Father Christmas arrives at Strand Quay at 11am, with reindeer around from 11:30, and there is a Dickensian procession from the station about 4:30. For those who did not manage to book Father Christmas, Mother Christmas plus elves will be at the Old Borough Arms from 3 to 6:30pm.
At 3pm there is a Christmas Pudding race in the High Street and at about 5:15pm the Mayor lights up the Christmas tree outside the George (also in the High Street).
Apart from the regular shops, there is a Christmas Market on Strand Quay from 11am (when a lowish high tide is forecast) until 6pm, along with a Craft Fair at the Rye Club from 10am-8pm and an artisan arts and crafts fair in the Rye Community Centre from 10am-4pm.
Lots of volunteers will be hard at work on the day and more are still needed, to do all sorts of jobs – for as long as you can manage. And it’s never too late to offer – contact liz@christmasinrye.co.uk if you can help.
Organisations, shops, and individuals are all helping to make 2015 a special year – with volunteers all doing their bit, like the museum ladies (pictured below) in their East Street premises preparing to pack up presents last Monday, November 30, for Father Christmas’s Grotto. And as the grotto is open for five hours from 11am to 4pm, that is a lot of children and a lot of presents – in fact over 400 !
Photos: Kenneth Bird and Jenny Lauren Sinclair