Douglas will be hosting ’The Greatest Christmas Show’ with a series of festive events from 5.30pm to 8.30pm on Thursday, November 25.

The Mayor of Douglas, Raina Chatel, will wish everyone a Merry Christmas via the large outdoor cinema screens set up in the new ’cultural area’ outside the Sefton Hotel and Market Hill just prior to the lights being lit at 7pm.

As was done last year, the mayor will switch the lights on remotely - due to safety concerns of too many people crowding in to a small area for the switch on at the town hall in past years, and also partly as a Covid mitigation measure.

There will be two outdoor cinemas - one on Market Hill showing The Snowman the other showing The Snowman and the Snowdog in the amphitheatre at the cultural area.

Castle Street will be the setting for a ’snow garden’ while Villiers Square will be transformed into a winter wonderland with free children’s fairground rides.

Father Christmas will be found in Granville Street.

Outside the Peter Luis building in Duke Street will be the setting for this year’s ice sculpture, to be carved, as in previous years, by artists Stephanie Quayle and Darren Jackson and where a professional photographer will be on hand for spectators from 6-8pm before ’meltdown’.

Duke Street will also be the starting point for a lantern parade that will make its way through the event areas.

Douglas Town Band will be playing in Regent Street, and the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk - this year’s Gaiety Theatre pantomime - will be in the town centre during the evening, while other well-known characters will be visiting some of the shops and moving around the event areas, which will make for photo opportunities.

Douglas town centre manager Oliver Cheshire said: ’Last year’s Greatest Christmas Show was very successful, so this year we’re building on that format by expanding the range of attractions.

’Once again we’re very grateful to the Tevir Group for making Villiers Square available.

’Retailers and local businesses have really got behind the event and are already thinking of ways in which they can add some extra sparkle and magic to what we like to term the ’official’ start of Christmas in the capital.

He continued: ’The great thing about this new format is that the attractions aren’t confined to just one, potentially overcrowded, central area.

’Instead, the entire length and breadth of the main shopping area will be transformed into one big event zone, so no matter where you are on the night, you’ll be assured of a great view of the lights.’

Parking in Shaw’s Brow and Bottleneck car parks will be free from 5pm on November 25 and on every following Thursday evening until December 23.

In addition free parking will be offered every Saturday and Sunday until Christmas. Additionally, the Department of Infrastructure is to reintroduce parking on Douglas promenade walkway.