Saturday, December 19, 10am-3pm
Updated 18/12 - now with timetable  More details have been announced about next Saturday's Christmas in the Triangle event, which looks like being bigger than previous years. And the hot news is that Santa will indeed be dropping by!

Click through for the latest details, & we'll update this piece with any changes.

 

Update 18/12/15

Here is the rough timetable supplied by organisers:

• 10 am – 2pm : The old Chemist : Children’s film showing (free)
• 11 am – 3pm: Rob Fry’s Photographic studio: Come & see Santa in his grotto, receive a gift & have your photo taken to remember your visit. (£4.00 per child)
• 11.30 – Pop up community choir at the clock tower. Grab a song sheet & join in!
• 12 – 1pm – Children’s craft activities inbetween the Songbird Café & Cotton’s bakery.
• 12.30 pm (ish) Brass band at the clock tower
• 11 – 1pm – Living nativity at the Old Chemist (visit & pet the animals – no charge)
• 2.15pm – raffle draw at the Bitterne Park Hotel (raffle tickets on sale at DIY SOS Tools & Hardware - £1 a ticket, funds go to GOSH & cancer research)

 

Original article

These are the attractions so far confirmed, according to organisers:

• Christmas film and living nativity scene with donkeys, sheep and goats at the Old Chemist
• Snow machine for those essential Triangle Christmas selfies
• Santa's grotto at Robert Fry's photographic studio, in association with Cotton's
• Children's crafts between The Songbird and Cotton's, 12-1pm
• Christmas bottle shop and art sale at the Butcher's Hook (noon-4pm)
• Festive brass band and pop-up community choir – you can join in the choir at the Clocktower at around 11.30am
• Raffle with prizes donated by local traders including ride ride, the Old Chemist and Colours of Beauty, in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital and Cancer Research – tickets now on sale at SOS Tools & Hardware
• Free bike repairs at ride ride during the event. Donations towards parts welcome but free labour and expertise!
• Hair @ 20 raffle for an Alzheimer's charity – with what we're told is a “fabulous prize”!
• Charity raffle at Barnados, and Christmas cards on sale
• Colours of Beauty raffle for NSPCC (£1 a ticket) with special offers for the Triangle event on bath bomb gift sets, and there will also be Festive Princess Makeovers available for “little princesses and their mums”, with mini stall outside
• The Bitterne Park Hotel will have lots of treats, and are also charity fundraising. They will be drawing the trader's raffle around 2.15pm.
• Face painting at Miss Ellie's café
• Mulled wine and mince pies at Il Picchio
• Activities, quizzes & games
• "Reindeer cupcake making, Reindeer food, Free decorated cones with every ice cream, free ice cream tasting of yummy festive flavours, delicious home baked cakes, hot mulled apple and cranberry drinks, Christmas wordsearch with prizes and all our usual delicious treats" at The Songbird
  

The Veg Shed reports that it is planning to open during the event, from 10am-3pm. The healing prayer team is also expected to be at the clock tower as usual.

If you want to get involved in Christmas in the Triangle, or donate prizes, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We'd like to point out to readers that unfortunately the road will NOT be closed to traffic during this busy event.

If you're planning on driving to the event, bear in mind that on-street parking is very limited, and in many places restricted to one hour. There is a free car park about five minutes' walk away behind the social club, by the miniature railway at Riverside Park, and others further along Manor Farm Road behind the park. There are very frequent number 7 buses straight to the Triangle, and there are some places to lock bikes.

Stay tuned to bitternepark.info for the latest updates – and you can also now get our weekly-ish email digest to stay in touch with news from Bitterne Park and beyond: sign up for free here.

Previously:
Church of Ascension Christmas services
Christmas in the Triangle event is back!