It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

With five miles of twinkling LED lights illuminating its historic streets, Canterbury is now a sea of festive colour.

Thousands of people turned out to watch as its Christmas lights were officially switched on after dark on Friday.

The event took the form of a lantern-lit parade in a bid to keep people moving and encourage social distancing.

But about 5,000 people are still thought to have turned out to take part in the festivities - the first switch-on event since 2019 as last year’s was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Lisa Carlson, CEO of Canterbury Business Improvement District which organises the event, said: “Enthusiasm for Christmas was palpable in Canterbury on Friday night, with the start of the Christmas market and the opportunity to get together for the switch-on with friends and family for the first time in two years.

“This year’s move to a parade allowed people to join in the fun from multiple locations – from The Marlowe Theatre to Whitefriars. Visitors were entertained by No Limit’s Street Band playing Christmas tunes, some very fun and festive Christmas characters and the two carriages - horsedrawn and Bmw-drawn - with the Marlowe pantomime cast

and the Lord Mayor.

“It was great to see Ben Roddy back in his panto dame costume and for the Lord Mayor to be donning a Christmas jumper.”

The “light up parade” set off from the Marlowe Theatre at 6pm before processing through the city centre as the 118,000 LED lights were switched on.

The parade ended at Rose

Square, where it was met by kmfm presenter Garry Wilson.

Canterbury’s Christmas market also launched on Friday, and will be open until 4pm on Christmas Eve in St

George’s Street, Whitefriars and Rose Lane.

The market is open from 10am until 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm on Saturdays and 10am until 4pm on Sundays.

The Christmas lights adorn 21 streets in the city centre, and cost £66,000 annually.

They are provided by Canterbury BID and paid for by businesses in the BID area.

Pictures: Canterbury BID/MATT Wilson Christmas lights in Canterbury city centre

Stars of the Marlowe’s pantomime took part in the festive event

kmfm’s Garry Wilson with youngsters at the Christmas lights switch-on event