Celebrate in the Wokingham town centre
On the 25th of November, the streets of Wokingham will be filled with festivity as the Wokingham Winter Carnival begins. The theme this year is “A Winter Wonderland” and the large variety of stalls will be decked in suitably festive fashion.
With over 125 different stalls, there will be an enormous variety of different wares to purchase – everything from festive foliage and flowers to decorate your home to gorgeous crafts that can become perfect gifts for all the family.
There will also be a fun selection of fairground rides filling the rest of the town square so that the children can have a blast while you browse. Alternatively, why not visit Santa’s Grotto in the Wokingham Library so that your little ones can share their lists with Father Christmas himself?
Don’t miss live performances in the town square, including a magic show, Punch & Judy, comedy jugglers, clowns, Morris dancers and other special entertainers. Take a look at the 2018 Winter Carnival programme so you don’t miss a thing.
Remember to stick around until the end of the day so you don’t miss the Carnival Procession and the Christmas tree lights switch on. The procession will set off from Shute End at 4:15pm and make its way through the streets as the sun sets. The final event of the day will then be the Christmas tree lights switch on at 5:35pm.
Find out more information about the Wokingham Christmas Carnival here.
Countdown to Christmas with a live advent calendar
Looking for something more exciting than the same old chocolate advent calendar? If you’re looking for something a little more interactive to help you countdown to Christmas, be sure to check out the live performances in the centre of Wokingham every day from the first to the 24th December.
While the official calendar hasn’t been announced yet, some of the performances you may see during the course of the month include the Redlands String Quartet, the Saint Sebastian Wokingham Band, the Hula Monkeys, Lydia Shute, Mia Turner and many more. Find out more about the acts here.
Make sure to check the calendar every day to find out when, where, and what the performance will be.
Sing your heart out
Join the Wokingham Choral Society on Saturday 15th December for a wonderful rendition of all your favourite carols in the All Saints Church. There’s nothing that announces “Christmas is on it’s way” quite like carol singing, so get right into the festive mood with all the family.
You can buy tickets for this concert at the Information Centre in the Town Hall, at Newbury Building Society, or at Jay Print & Design.
Get all the details here.
Remember the Christmas story
On the 16th December, Rough Sketch and the Wokingham Community will be celebrating the story of Christmas with a variety of activities in the market square, before finishing off with a live nativity performance in Howard Palmer Gardens.
Fun for all the family, this event will be filled with entertainment, activities and refreshments from 3pm, before attendees follow a donkey procession to Howard Palmer Gardens for the live performance of the nativity. Make sure to wrap up warm!
Find out more information here.
Spot Santas on motorbikes
For it’s 33rd year, the Reading Toy Run is back and the Reading Christian Bikers are ready to deliver your gifts to the children at Barnardo’s. The Toy Run will be taking place on the 9th December and set off from John Wood PLC, formerly Shire Hall, RG2 9FW at 1pm. It will make its way from there to finish at High Close School in Wokingham, where all of the wonderful toys will be donated.
Even if you’re not taking part, head out to the route and watch all of the Santas ride past on their bikes – it’s quite a sight to see!
Keep an eye on their social media sites – Facebook and Twitter – for more updates!
Dash with the Santas
This year in Wokingham, there isn’t just one opportunity for you to get your red suit and white beard on, but three. If you’re feeling athletic, why not sign up for one of the three Santa Dash 5ks?
One Santa Dash, raising money for Thames Hospice, will be taking place on the 25th November in Swinley Forest. Whether you walk or run the dash, you’ll be able to finish the 5k (or 10k if you feel like more of a challenge) knowing that you’ve helped Thames Hospice provide expert care to the community this Christmas. If you’re interested, sign up here.
The second Festive Dash is organised by the Wokingham Lions and also takes place on 25th November, benefitting Macmillan Cancer Support. This event is held in conjunction with the Wokingham Winter Carnival – entrants will run 1.5k ahead of the Winter Carnival Parade. Buy your tickets to enter here.
The final Santa Dash is a little later in the year. It is taking place on the 15th December at Dinton Pastures, as part of their Christmas Market. They’ll be raising money for Katie’s Legacy, a fantastic charity which honours the memory of triathlete Katie Henderson. Enter here to help more children take part in free triathlons at Queen Anne’s School in Caversham.
If you like the sound of what Wokingham and the surrounding area has to offer this festive season and are looking to buy or rent a property in this lovely part of the country, then take a look today at the range of homes we have available and give us a call.