Where to celebrate Christmas in Kettering this year

The full details of Kettering's Christmas Lights Switch On event have now been released.

More than 35 stallholders are confirmed for the evening, which will showcase local businesses and traders with hot street food, mobile bars and artisan craft stalls.

The event will also feature live music, dance performances, DJ and compere Bill Burton. Roaming street entertainment will be on offer as well as model railway rides, a light-up table football tournament, traditional brass music from Kettering Town Silver Band and Santa's light-up selfie sleigh.

The switch on is planned for Thursday 23 November, with the event starting at 4pm in the town's Market Square and along Sheep Street. The surrounding roads will be closed from 12pm on the day to prepare for the event.

A giant 30ft tree from local supplier Welford Christmas Tree farm has already been installed in the Market Place in readiness for the event, while the Christmas lights will be going up across the town centre over the next few days.

Cllr Craig Skinner, chairman of the council's Markets and Events Committee, said: "This is the first year the town council has taken on the Christmas Lights Switch On and this year we are making the event a real celebration of the town.

"The stallholders and food traders are all small business from Kettering and the surrounding area, the entertainment is all from Kettering people and we are pleased to feature two true town heroes to turn on the lights.

"There's lots going on throughout the evening so we hope as many people as possible will come down to support the event and see Kettering shine."

A series of festive markets will also be run in the Market Place on Saturdays during November and December and will feature a mix of street food and drink, local produce, artisan gifts as well as live music and entertainment. The first market is on Saturday 25 November with subsequent events on 2, 9 and 16 of December from 10am to 3pm.

As well as the market events, the town council has teamed up with the Newlands Centre to open an Elf Station and Meet Santa Experience for children in December.

The elves will help children write a letter to Santa and send it to the North Pole using magic reindeer dust, youngsters can then make a Christmas craft to take home ad afterwards meet Santa and have a photo taken with the sleigh and Rudolph.

There is a £2 charge per child which this year goes to Cransley Hospice with no booking necessary.

The station is open from 11am to 4pm on:

Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 December

Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 December*

Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 December

Thursday 21, Friday 22 and Saturday 23 December

And on Sunday 10 December there are Relaxed Sessions which are autism friendly with reduced noise.