Whether you like it or not, the festive season is now most definitely in full swing – Christmas trees are popping up in windows, sparkly fairy lights are twinkling and shoppers are starting to spread the load by shopping at local markets whilst more and more Christmas fairs are being advertised around the county. There’s plenty to do in Ross-on-Wye and there are some great events taking place to get you sparkling along with your Christmas fizz!
The Ross-on-Wye Christmas Fayre on Sunday 26 November will take place from 11am to 5pm and promises to be bigger than ever with live music, over 80 stalls selling arts, crafts, hand made decorations, wreaths, food & drink alongside Santa’s Grotto, face painting, fun fair rides and lots of entertainment for the kids. Make sure you don’t miss Floki, the fayre’s first ever animatronic polar bear or the Christmas lights switch on at 4.30pm performed by our little local hero, Alfie, at the Market House!
Photo credit: Jon Simpson
Running alongside the fair will be the town’s bi-annual Christmas Tree Festival where you can really get into the spirit of Christmas at St Mary’s Church. What better way to celebrate the start of the season than with home baked cakes or a bowl of warm soup surrounded by a multitude of pretty trees in the stunning setting of this beautiful, iconic church? The Christmas Tree Festival runs from Saturday 25 to Tuesday 28 November and there will be plenty on offer including music, Christmas gifts and a children’s nativity trail.
The Mellstock Band will be performing their unique traditional yuletide show at St Mary’s Church on Saturday evening, 25 Nov at 7.30pm – think Thomas Hardy, poetry, song and music to the sound of the fiddle, clarinet, concertina & serpent (click here for tickets) and the following evening, Sunday 26 Nov at 6pm, enjoy a special traditional Evensong Service featuring festive songs and carols to get you in the spirit.
Our wonderful local wellbeing choir, The Border Belles, will be serenading us on Saturday 2 December, also at St Mary’s Church, at their annual Christmas concert. It promises to really get you in the festive mood as they are joined by the Forest of Dean Male Voice Choir which is sure to be a spine tingling show. Tickets are available on the door at just £10 and include refreshments during the evening.
And if you can’t make that one, you will be spoilt for choice on both of the following two Saturdays with some more fantastic festive concerts at St Mary’s Church. On Saturday 9 December at 7pm, The Penyard Singers‘ ‘Tidings of Comfort & Joy‘ concert will be raising money for The Ross Cancer Support Group. With Music Director, Sammy Martin, and Accompanist Simon Peberdy with the Forest of Dean Ensemble, the choir will perform songs and poetry by Vivaldi, Stainer and Quartel, chosen by cancer patients and carers in Ross-on-Wye. Tickets are £12 (free entry for children & students) and are available from Eventbrite via The Penyard Singers’ website.
Finally, Saturday 16 December brings us the Ross-on-Wye Choral Society‘s Christmas Concert where they will perform two iconic pieces – Requiem by Duruflé and Gloria by Vivaldi. Tickets are £15 (students and under 18s £5) and are available from River Music (26 Broad St, Ross-on-Wye HR9 7ED) or by phoning 07837 922256.
Keep an eye on our Events page for details of these and future events.
