Oldham hosts alternative Christmas celebrations

Oldham Council will be hosting an alternative festive programme for residents to enjoy this Christmas. 

The borough's much-loved Christmas events - such as the Christmas Lights Switch-On, Reindeer Parade and Brass Monkeys Music Festival - won't be taking place this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

But there are still plans to mark the season of goodwill at the end of a year like no other. 

Bringing some much-needed holiday cheer for all over the holidays is Oldham's seasonal Reindeer Parade Trail. 

The trail contains 10 specially designed reindeer sculptures from local primary schools, community groups and cultural organisations and will decorate the town’s popular locations until Monday 4 January.

Each five feet high reindeer has its own name and theme too, so be on the lookout for them over the next few weeks and seek to uncover their stories as they travel into Oldham.

This year, Oldham also welcomes the ‘Window Wonderland’ project across the town centre as a number of café and shop windows will be transformed into magical winter galleries for all to gaze upon. 

Windows in the Spindles and Town Square shopping centres, Tommyfield Market Hall and Gallery Oldham were the chosen canvases for 18 artists across Oldham and Greater Manchester, with their displays now ready to be discovered this December and into the New Year. As part of the project, residents will be able to scan a QR code on every display to uncover the story behind each design and learn more about the designer too.

The council say it hopes residents will be inspired to enter the 'Winter Wonderland' competition too by creating their own window displays at home to lighten up the dark nights across Oldham this Christmas.

The best window entry will be picked at random to win a festive hamper worth £50 that will be stacked full of goodies from the most popular Oldham retailers and will be delivered just in time for Christmas.

For guides on how to create your own display and for more details on how to enter the competition, visit www.oldham.gov.uk/ChristmasinOldham

The festivities don’t stop there, as Oldham Music Service takes its annual Christmas concert online this year too. People should keep an eye on Oldham Council's social media channels and website for more details on how to watch it from home. 

Council leader Cllr Sean Fielding said: “As we approach the end of what has been an incredibly tough year for our residents, it is very important to us that everyone in Oldham can still enjoy some much needed festive cheer this Christmas.

“And while we are sadly unable to host our regular large-scale events because of the pandemic this doesn’t mean for one minute that Christmas has been cancelled in Oldham.

“Over the last few months our teams have been working incredibly hard to come up with new and exciting ideas for us all to safely still celebrate this wonderful occasion in some shape or form.

“So we hope our new plans can bring you and your families, new and enjoyable memories.

“May I take this opportunity to remind you as well of how important it is for us all to support our local businesses, especially in the weeks building up to Christmas.

“They are the beating heart of our communities and offer a fantastic range of produce, so think of them first when you’re doing your holiday shopping and shop safely – every pound spent locally makes a huge difference.”

Oldham is a Christmas shoppers’ haven at this time of year, with an array of High Street retailers, a shopping mall, independent businesses and a traditional market on residents’ doorstep.

Residents are reminded to stay safe and follow the latest restrictions and guidance on coronavirus when they are out and about doing their shopping.

For more information on what is taking place across Oldham this Christmas, visit www.oldham.gov.uk/ChristmasinOldham.