Andover Christmas Festival 2024
The Andover Christmas Festival is returning for 2024, sprinkling festive fun across the town centre.
Here’s a roundup of everything you can look forward to on the night, as well as some important visitor information.
LIVE MUSIC
Guildhall Stage
Compared by Luis Wyatt, the Guildhall Stage has a spectacular selection of dance and music acts lined up and will host the official Christmas Lights Switch on:
5:00 Vigo Primary School Choir
5:25 Kimpton, Thruxton & Fyfield Primary School Choir
5:40 Burdock Valley Players
5:55 Andover Youth Dance Company
6:20 Andover Ladies Choir
6:45 Louise Vincent School of Dance
6:55 Lights switch on, with Mayor of Andover Heather Neate and Father Christmas
7:05 Disco
7:15 Stonepig
Town Mills Stage
Look forward to listening to live music and showing off your moves at the Christmas Disco with Ben Tuffin from Love Andover Radio.
5:00 High Road
5:30 Hollow Afterthought
6:10 Kev & Gary from Nokando
6:45 No Way Out
7:35 Christmas Disco
Bridge Street Stage
Bridge Street will be treated to music throughout the evening, with performances from local bands and choirs.
5:00 Andover College Singers
5:45 Ingenious Gentlemen
6:30 Test Valley Brass
7:10 Andover Rock Choir
7:35 Andover Town Band
*Please be aware performance times are subject to change.
CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES
We’ve got plenty for children to enjoy at the festival, with activities in the Chantry Centre and on the High Street:
Christmas Grotto
Father Christmas and the Elves will be flying back to the Chantry Centre and settling into their Grotto, opposite Boswell’s seating area. Tickets cost £5 per child and can be purchased by debit or credit card on the door. Every child with a ticket will receive a festive gift to take home.
If you don’t get chance to meet Father Christmas at the festival, don’t worry, as he’ll be coming back to Andover again in November and December. Take a look at all Grotto opening dates on our website here.
Christmas Storytelling and Magic Shows
Amanda from Merry Go Round Storytelling and local magician David Major will be back to treat audiences to an interactive telling of The Witch who tried to steal Christmas and a wonderous show Christmas Magic with Major Magic.
Come along to watch them perform, in the unit next to Andover Library. Shows are free but there is limited availability. No pre-booking required
5:00 Storytelling
5:30 Magic show
6:00 Storytelling
6:30 Magic Show
7:00 Storytelling
7:30 Magic show
Please note: children must be accompanied by a supervising adult for these shows.
The Living Snow Globe by the Show Globe
Everyone will be enchanted by the Living Snow Globe. Watch her mystical performance at the top of the High Street, near the entrance to the Chantry Centre:
Each performance lasts 30 minutes
5:15 Snow Globe Show
6:15 Snow Globe Show
7:15 Snow Globe Show
Face Painting
Free face painting will be available inside the Chantry Centre, near to the Toy Arena.
Fairground Rides and Games
Take a spin on a fairground ride or have a go at a side-show game, available at the bottom of the High Street.
Tickets can be purchased from each vendor.
Santa Sleigh
There will be another opportunity to pose for a photo with Father Christmas in his sleigh at Town Mills Riverside Park. Any donations raised will be donated to the Countess of Brecknock Hospice.
Festive Characters
Keep an eye out for some festive fun as some special Christmas Characters will be popping up around the town throughout the evening.
CHRISTMAS MARKET
Start your Christmas shopping at our night market along Bridge Street, where you can support local independent businesses:
Balloon Fantasia
Budget Busters
Candle Delites
Florence & Maisie
Go Fudge Yo’self
Handmade by Mollie & Me
Homemade Brownie Company
Kate Burton Designs
Made by Homa
Prudhome International Confectionary
Steve’s 3D Print
Swedish Baking Studio
Sweet Ideas
The Glow Zone
Toy Man & Teddy Lady
Wessex Spirits
Wishcraft Sewing
Ziver Organiques Cosmetics
FOOD & DRINK
You can tuck into plenty of refreshments at the event; we’ll have food and drink stalls along Riverside Park and some local cafes will be open, serving up treats during the evening:
Doughnuts
Crepe Britain
Nidges Artisan Pizza
Hedgerow Cordials
Sanger Jones Street Food
Reggae Feast Catering
The Vegan Street Diner
Rutts Lane Cider
Hot chocolate stand
Jonah’s Mead
Coffee Nut
Tap on Tour
Methodist Church (mince pies, tea and coffee)
Riverside Café (mulled wine, hot & cold drinks, mince pies)
Coffee 78, High Street (mulled wine, hot & cold drinks, mince pies)
VISITOR INFORMATION
Information points
Information points can be found on the High Street, Town Mills Riverside Park and Bridge Street where you can find event maps and schedules.
Child wristbands and lost child point
To ensure the safety of children at the festival, we will be issuing free wristbands, please visit an information point or speak to a steward to collect one. Parents or guardians can write a contact telephone number on their child’s wristband. If a child gets lost at the event, organisers will use the number on the wristband to contact the child’s parent or guardian.
A lost child point will be located behind the Guildhall.
Chill out zone
Andover Community Engagement (A.C.E), Bridge Street.
Toilets
Andover Community Engagement (A.C.E), Bridge Street.
Chantry Centre.
Bridge Street.
First aid
St Johns Ambulance will be providing first aid services at the event, and there will be a first aid tent located on the High Street, near to the Guildhall. In case of needing assistance please visit the first aid tent, an Information Point or speak with a BID Ranger or event steward.
Road closures
Please be aware there will be some road closures in place for the festival: The roads affected by these closures are:
Andover High Street: between Newbury St and Bridge St, 10:00 - 22:00
Bridge Street: between Western Avenue and London St, 10:00 - 22:00
Waterloo Court:from outside the back of Unit 62A Chantry Centre, 17:00 - 20:00
Emergency access to Bridge Street and the High Street will be maintained at all times. Marshals will be on hand to assist with emergency access and clear the public from throughfares if required.
Parking
Parking will be available in the town centre and is free after 4pm, although please be aware this is a busy event and we advise taking public transport or walking where possible.
Details and locations of Andover car parks can be found here.
Public transport
Andover bus station is located next to the Chantry Centre, operating services to nearby towns villages.
Andover Train Station is a fifteen-minute walk away from the centre of the town.
Event map
