Proud of Bucks winners at highlight Round and About • Round & About Magazine

Liz Nicholls

Activities & Events, Buckinghamshire, Round and About

Local heroes will be honoured at this year’s Old Amersham Christmas Festival, 4-8pm on Friday, 6^th December

Old Amersham will once again offer a warm welcome for the new-look Christmas Festival.

Last year’s highlight was a huge success, attracting more than 5,000 visitors. This year is set to shine even bigger and brighter, offering festive family fun and live music from the Amersham Band and the Barbershop Choir while you shop for gifts. Most stores will offer exclusive offers for one-night-only. Browse the carefully curated collection of local traders in Cooper’s Market, and enjoy mulled wine and foodie treats from the local restaurants, cafes and pubs.

Twinkling Christmas lights are set to illuminate the town with the Christmas tree light switch-on at 6pm from a surprise local celebrity guest. Little ones can meet Father Christmas and his “real life” reindeers. A vintage fair with traditional ferris wheel, swing boats, go-carts and roaming stilt walkers add to the enchanting atmosphere, along with face painting, craft, selfies with Rudolf and pig-petting.

Diana Halley, co-owner of Fabric Boutique which will be open late, says: “This fabulous Christmas Festival provides a platform for local artisans and businesses, and it’s also a gathering for the community to support and celebrate their town. A torch light procession with St Mary’s Primary School pupils will parade from the church to the tree for more festive cheer and carol singing.”

Once again ScannAppeal will run the Golden Tombola and offer hot chocolate upstairs in Market Hall.

Organised by the Amersham & Villages Community Board and sponsored by the Clare Foundation, the Proud of Bucks awards celebrate what makes a community thrive and honours volunteers and groups who have gone above and beyond to make a lasting impact on their community.

Present at the ceremony will be the Countess Howe, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, Cllr Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, Mimi Harker OBE, Chairman of Buckinghamshire Council and Arif Hussain, Cabinet Member for Communities at Buckinghamshire Council.