Santa visits Causeway Coast

Festive entertainment is planned in each town or village to celebrate his arrival, including music, cuddly characters, DJ’s, live bands and carol singing from local choirs.

Santa will also distribute a small pre-Christmas gift to children who are primary school age and below and accompanied by an adult.

Coleraine town centre is in Santa’s diary with the switch on taking place on Friday November 25.

The fun begins at The Diamond area at 6.00pm with Beatz Entertainment, assisted by a local primary school who will be singing Christmas carols to add to the atmosphere. The Good King Wencelas Parade will accompany the Mayor, Santa and his Clydesdale horses through the town to the Diamond area. Here, Santa and the Mayor will dismount and switch on the lights at 7.00pm before Santa makes his way to the Grotto to hand out gifts to all in the Santa queue. At this point, the crowd will be entertained by local band The Groove Robbers.

The next town to be lit up will be Dungiven on Saturday 26th November where the DJ will commence at 5.30pm at Dungiven Community Centre. Santa and the Mayor will arrive on his Clydesdale horses in time for the lights switch on at 6.00pm. The DJ will keep the crowd amused while the children queue up to see Santa and receive their special Christmas parcel.

Following a couple of days rest, Santa will be taking off again on his trusted Clydesdale horses to the seaside town of Ballycastle on Thursday December 1. The night will start with the interdenominational Community Carol Service organised by Ballycastle Church Action from 6.30-6.50pm. Beatz Entertainment will be entertaining the crowds from 6.30pm. The Mayor and Santa will arrive at the stage about 7.15pm. Once the lights are switched on Santa will make his way to the Grotto to distribute gifts to the children.

Staying at the seaside, he will then visit the town of Portrush on Friday December 2. Local entertainer Brian Moore will commence the evening at 6.30pm at Station Square with the help of local primary school choirs.

All this carol singing will get us in the mood for Santa who will be arriving with the Mayor on the Clydesdale horses ready to turn on the lights at 7.30pm. Once the lights are turned on the children may queue to see Santa in his festive themed grotto.

The festivities continue the very next day in the market town of Kilrea. Entertainment will begin at 4pm with carol singing under the tree from local primary schools.

Next in Santa and the Mayor’s busy schedule is a stop in Garvagh on Monday December 5 and the last stop in the borough is Portstewart on Saturday December 10.