With ‘Halloween month’ and ‘firework fortnight’ now behind us, it may be alarming to realise that Christmas is less than six weeks’ away! However, rest assured, festive plans at venues around our village are already well advanced.
Ruddington’s FIRST chance to see Santa Claus is actually on Friday November 30th at St Peter’s School on Ashworth Avenue. Their annual ‘Christmas Fair’ runs from 6pm until 8pm – and you can book in advance to see Santa by clicking >>HERE<<.
The BIG ‘Ruddington Christmas Fayre’ will be held the day after – on Saturday 1st December between 12 noon and 5pm. As before, the High Street will be closed between Easthorpe Street and the Frame Breakers pub for stall holders. There will be further traders and activities at The White Horse pub.
Annette Auckland, of Ruddington Parish Council‘s Events Team said: “There will be stalls in St Peter’s Church and St Peter’s Rooms. Santa will be in his grotto in St Peter’s Rooms and the Christmas lights in the churchyard will be switched on during the Fayre. There will be a ‘Find the Snowman’ trail for children and a raffle to raise funds for our designated charity ‘Bloomin Dementia’. We’ll have choirs singing in the Church and the ever popular ‘Picture in a Manger’ in front of the Church.”
Also during the Christmas Fayre it’ll be the World Premiere of the “Twelve Days of Traders” Ruddington Christmas Ad which will be screened for the very first time at 13.00 GMT in The Frame Breakers’ Pub!
After that time you’ll also be able to watch it online HERE:
The brand new edition of NCT’s “Ruddy Good Day Out” guide – now containing 37 places to visit in our village including Loyalty Card Scheme retailers – is officially launched at the Fayre, too! It’ll be available to pick up at the stall on High Street being run by the Ruddington Village Centre Partnership (RVCP) during the afternoon – along with you very own Ruddington Loyalty Card.
Ruddington Methodist Church and the Framework Knitters’ Museum will also be having their Christmas Fayres on December 1st. The latter has an even more traditional ‘Dickensian Christmas’ on offer, running from 11am to 5pm.
Organiser Helen Brownett told us: “We will be having mushy peas, hot toasted crumpets by the fire in the cottage plus mulled wine, Frame Breakers’ Ale and nibbles in the Framework Knitters’ Chapel. Jo will be back selling her collectibles and interesting bric a brac in the Chapel, too. You will be able to knit yourself a winter’s scarf on one of our vintage sock machines. We also have the ever popular tombola in one or the rooms downstairs in the frame shop. The Maids of Clifton Clog dancers will be dancing at 1.30pm and 2.30pm. The Ruddington Community Choir (pictured) are coming back to sing for us again this year in the museum courtyard at 2pm and 3pm. I also think Santa will appear at times, singing carols!”
Also starting on the 1st day of December you can join Ruddington’s Great Central Railway for a steam-train trip through beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside with Father Christmas! Always popular with children, their ‘Santa Specials’ are another great chance to tell the man in the red suit what they’d like for Christmas.
GCRN said: “All youngsters will receive a gift during their journey and everyone will receive seasonal refreshments.” However pre-booking is essential for these very popular trips – which operate every Saturday and Sunday from 1st December through to 23rd December 2018 plus three Christmas Eve services to really get you into the festive mood!
On the evening of Monday December 10th, Ruddington Choral Society invites you to go and sing in its biennial ‘Community Messiah’ at St Peter’s Church. Musical scores will be available to use on the night. Paul Hayward will be their conductor, Michael Overbury the accompanist, and there’ll be soloists, too. Tickets are available now from Perkins Hardware priced £6.
To make sure we don’t lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, St Peter’s Church also has its very popular ‘Carols by Candlelight’ service on Sunday 16th December followed by Carols with the Salvation Army on Monday December 17th.
Please don’t drink and drive as Nottingham City Transport‘s frequent and friendly Navy 3 and Green 10 buses can get you here from the City, West Bridgford, Wilford and Clifton for a #RuddyGoodDayOut this yuletide!
Keep an eye out on our daily RUDDINGTON.info Events Calendar for more details of all that’s happening in our village over the Christmas and New Year period.
