Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Plug pulled on festive events
Two of the city centre’s biggest festive celebrations have been cancelled in the wake of Covid19 restrictions. Organisers have been forced to pull the plug on the popular Christmas Eve community carol singing and the traditional switching-on of the Christmas lights, with the St Nicholas Parade also in doubt.
All three attract crowds in their thousands, which are being discouraged as the fight against the spread of coronavirus continues.
It will be the first time the charity carol singing, organised by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury’s Christmas Gift Fund, has been scrapped in its 67-year history.
The event raises money to help pay for up to 500 festive goody parcels to be delivered to the elderly and needy in the area.
But chairman Sally Waters says the decision to abandon this year’s gathering was taken with “heavy hearts” by the committee on Monday night. “It’s sad because it’s such a popular event but we really had no choice in the current climate,” she said.
“But we are not going to abandon those who are grateful for our support every year. “We have enough money in our reserves and are looking at what we can do, even if it means just sending out a voucher. “We are also planning to play some carols on our Facebook page with a message from the Archbishop who would normally attend the carol singing.” Canterbury Business Improvement District, known as BID, arranges the Christmas lights switch-on ceremony, usually with celebrity stars of the Marlowe Theatre pantomime in attendance.
But the show has already been cancelled, and now, BID has decided to scrap the switch-on event.
The St Nicholas Day Parade - an event involving schools and community groups which has been a highlight of the festive season for the past 20 years - is also at risk.
Led by Father Christmas in elaborate robes, it celebrates the “true meaning of Christmas”. Meanwhile, the annual Christmas ice rink in the Dane John Gardens has already been abandoned.