Scarborough Prepares to Sparkle as Christmas Event Returns

An enchanting Christmas wonderland is set to transform Scarborough’s famous Open Air Theatre this weekend.

Scarborough Sparkle will return to the seaside town from Friday, November 29, to Sunday, December 1, with a funfair and stalls among the offering.

North Yorkshire Council is running the event, which will be launched with a lantern parade in Peasholm Park at 5.30pm on the Friday evening.

The Open Air Theatre will house more than 50 stalls showcasing gifts, hot food and drinks. The Tipi Venue will be offering a warm space to enjoy refreshments, and This is the Coast will take over the stage which will feature local choirs.

A snow machine, Christmas tree and Santa sleigh will adorn the venue, and the Grinch and characters from Frozen will keep children entertained.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, said:

“Scarborough Sparkle has become a highlight of the town’s events calendar, adding to its status as Yorkshire’s most popular seaside destination, even in the winter months.

“Our aim is to involve the local communities, particularly in putting together the lantern parade. The stalls and traders are all independent businesses, so we are encouraging people to shop local this Christmas to help the economy thrive.

“The weekend offers something for all ages and is sure to be a great atmosphere. There’s no better venue than the picturesque park and renowned Open Air Theatre, which will be abuzz with the festive spirit.”

John Lee and Melanie O’Brien are sponsoring the event with their fun fair business. This year, it will include a Ferris wheel, bungee trampolines, a ghost train, fun house, inflatable slide, as well as monster trucks from Czechoslovakia.  

O’Brien’s funfair caters at events around the country, but Scarborough has a special place in their hearts as the atmosphere in the town is like no other.

Mr O’Brien said:

“Being part of huge events such as Scarborough Sparkle is very rewarding when you see the joy on people’s faces,”

“We have new rides, stalls, and characters to entice and entertain the crowds over the three days.

“There is already a buzz in the community as we approach it. It’s a mammoth effort from those involved as we start setting up on the Wednesday just to make sure everything is ready in time.

“Events like this are all about welcoming locals as well as those from further afield and putting a smile on the faces of everybody who comes.”

The lantern parade will be staged by Animated Objects with the help of 26 community groups across the town to transform the park into a paradise of lanterns and illuminations.

The artistic director of Animated Objects, Lee Threadgold, said:

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to extend the participation for this year’s lantern parade to include more groups from across the town in this ever-popular event as it grows from year to year.

“There’s an abundance of creativity and fantastic community work going on across Scarborough, and it’s great to be able to celebrate this as part of the Scarborough Sparkle weekend.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken part in our workshop sessions over the last few months to make this one of the most colourful parades yet.”

The chair of North Yorkshire Council’s Scarborough and Whitby area committee, Cllr Liz Colling, who sits on the Scarborough Town Board, contributed £1,000 from her locality budget towards the lantern parade.

Cllr Colling said:

“I’m pleased that my budget has contributed towards the parade which has been a real community effort. I’d like to thank all the volunteers, schools and groups who have helped to create the lanterns.

“It marks the opening of such a major event in Scarborough, bringing people from far and wide to the town outside of the peak tourist season. I can’t wait for the weekend celebrations to get underway.”

Admission to the venue is free. It will run on Friday from 5pm to 9pm, Saturday from 11am to 8pm, and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

A free bus will operate a return service on Saturday and Sunday from Eastfield, passing through Crossgates, Falsgrave and Scarborough town centre, before arriving at Peasholm Park.