Scarborough’s annual Christmas festival, Sparkle, has been hailed a resounding success, with organisers reporting record-breaking crowds over the weekend.
The event, organised by North Yorkshire Council, took place from Friday to Sunday at Scarborough's Open Air Theatre and featured a festive mix of entertainment, food and craft stalls, and fairground rides.
Vicki Jones, Attractions and Events Delivery Manager for North Yorkshire Council, expressed her delight at the positive response to the festival:
“It’s so lovely to walk around and see so many smiling faces and people really, really enjoying themselves. The entertainment, the street entertainment, the music, everything, the stalls…it just looks so Christmassy. It’s brilliant.”
Saturday was a particularly busy day, with crowds flocking to the town to soak up the festive atmosphere. Local traders reported strong sales, with many having to restock their goods on Sunday morning.
Run by North Yorkshire Council, Scarborough Sparkle filled the town’s Open Air Theatre with more than 50 stalls showcasing gifts, hot food and drinks.
The Tipi Venue proved a popular space to enjoy refreshments, and presenters from This is the Coast hosted entertainment on the stage.
The theatre was also filled with a snow machine, Christmas tree, Santa sleigh and characters from children’s films.
The event was launched with a lantern parade in Peasholm Park on Friday (November 29). It was 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.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, said:
“Scarborough Sparkles was back and better than ever, cementing itself as a staple of the town’s events calendar.
“It entices visitors outside of the peak tourist season, who add to our vibrant economy by sampling local businesses from hotels to restaurants.
“There was also an incredible response to the lantern parade from those who took part as well as onlookers. It was a real community effort, with charities, schools and groups represented.
“The event complements Scarborough Lights which is ongoing and is well worth a visit if you haven’t done so already.”
Organisers say that the success of Sparkle is "testament to its broad appeal, attracting both local residents and visitors from further afield." Comments on the event’s social media pages reveal that people travelled from all over the country to attend. The event has become a firm favourite in the festive calendar, with stallholders keen to return year after year.
Vicki says the support from local traders has been a key part in the events success.
While Sparkle has retained its original footprint, a few additions this year, including extending the site further down North Gate and adding more fairground rides, have contributed to making the event bigger than ever.
Organisers say that the success of this year’s Sparkle is likely to fuel demand for future events, with coach companies potentially adding the festival to their itineraries.
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