Festive Derby’s outdoor attractions ready to sparkle

Published: 3 December 2020

Festive Derby's outdoor attractions begin on Friday, bringing a backdrop of lights and Christmas sparkle to the city streets together with attractions that can be enjoyed in a safe way.

Outdoor events will run as planned with full Covid-secure measures in place. Visitors are asked to continue to do the right thing for Derby by following social distancing at all times, wearing a face covering if they can, and following the Tier 3 rules about who they can meet up with, either staying with members of their household or household bubble, or following the rule of six when outdoors.

In Derby Market Place, live performances of Elf Encounter can go ahead because the design of the show puts it in line with a Santa’s Grotto, which is permitted under Tier 3. Babbling Vagabonds’ 15-minute show in a purpose-built wooden hut has been designed to be performed to one household and/or bubble at a time, with a clear screen surrounding the stage and cleaning of seats before the next performance.

Live performances will take place between Saturday 5 and Wednesday 23 December, and will take families with children on a journey in a magical Christmas machine with a mischievous elf who needs to get back on Santa’s nice list! Babbling Vagabonds will also be making recorded versions of the show available for families who are unable to visit in person, which will be on sale soon. For more information and to book tickets, go to the Derby Live website.

Derby Market Place will also host its first Festive Market this weekend, open from 10am to 4pm from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 Dec, where shoppers can pick up some unique handmade presents and mouthwatering Christmas food gifts made and sold by locally based stallholders. The market is organised to be Covid-secure with a one-way system, regular cleaning of toilets and card payments. The number of people allowed in at one time will be tightly controlled so if it is busy, please enjoy some of the other attractions and come back later.

Shops will have their displays decorated ready for the Window Wonderland trail, families can look out for cheeky elves in the Elf Trail, and you can use our Christmas Selfie Boards at three points in the city to take photographs to record your memories of this unusual festive season. Watch out for street entertainers Joy Magnet’s Bouncing Snowmen if you’re in the city centre on Saturday 5 December, and enjoy the Christmas Trees, lights, and lighting projections on Derby Market Place and Derby Cathedral. The Visit Derby website will be updated with full information about what is happening on the Visit Derby website.

Councillor Robin Wood, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said:

As Derby goes into Tier 3, we all need a little sparkle and Festive Derby is there to help us all feel a little better. If you’re visiting the city there is much to enjoy in the knowledge that everything has been planned with your safety in mind, but it’s up to us to play our part and look after each other too.

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