BRIERLEY Hill’s Christmas lights will be switched on this weekend.

There’ll be festive fun in the town centre from 11am to 5pm on Saturday December 9 - ahead of the lights switch on at 5pm.

Attractions in the Moor Centre throughout the day will include a Christmas craft market, children’s fairground rides, face-painting, live entertainment and chance to meet Father Christmas in his grotto.

Last year’s fun woolly sheep trail, which saw toy sheep placed in shop windows and free woolly pop-pom sheep dotted around the town, will turn into a knitted star trail for youngsters.

Performers from Code Red who entertained shoppers at Halesowen’s Christmas light switch on will also be walking around the town performing character roles, acrobatics, stiltwalking and firebreathing.

The group will also bring the event to a close with a spectacular fire show finale after the official switch.

Entertainment on the main stage, from midday, will include a drumming performance from the 2156 squadron Air Training Corps, musical performances by Ricky Dee, carols and songs from Bromley Pensnett Primary School and performances by Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Company which will be showcasing its seasonal show.

The Festival Community choir will also perform seasonal and popular songs as the event builds to the official switching on of the lights by the Mayor of Dudley and the winner of the week’s ‘Guess where the Elves are’ Facebook competition.

Councillor Dave Tyler, Mayor of Dudley, said: “I’d like to thank the traders, voluntary groups, businesses, churches and performers who have all come together to make this a true community Christmas.

“Brierley Hill has a lot of heart and I’m sure we’ll see this at the event on Saturday. I can’t wait.”

The community event has been organised with the help of Dudley Council, Dudley CVS, Brierley Hill Civic, Brierley Hill Traders and The Brier Fair.

Dudley Council has suspended car parking charges on its Brierley Hill car parks for the day to encourage more people into the town.