Traders in Felixstowe are looking forward to a bumper weekend to set their tills ringing with thousands of people expected to enjoy the Christmas lights switch on, a festive craft market, and entertainment.

Members of The Lions Club of Felixstowe have volunteered hundreds of hours in maintaining the lights, improving them, building new displays, and putting up the garlands and decorations, with the tree as the centrepiece on The Triangle.

Mayor of Felixstowe, Graham Newman, will throw the switch to transform the town centre into a festive fairyland at 5pm on Saturday.

Free car parking, thanks to Suffolk Coastal, will be available all day at Crescent Road, Highfield Road and Ranelagh Road car parks.

Mr Newman said: “There’s something about the lights going on that brings the Christmas spirit to life. The shops put on their festive displays, we all go looking for those special presents, those familiar Christmas songs get played endlessly on the radio, and then we enjoy the excitement of the big day.”

He thanked the Lions for all their hard work again.

The craft market will be open at 10am in Hamilton Road with entertainment around The Triangle. Santa and Rudolph will parade from Great Eastern Square at 12.40pm, arriving at his grotto at The Canopy at 1pm.

During the afternoon there will be performances from the World in Song choir, Variations Choir, the Felixstowe Schools Christmas Charity Music Project, and the Salvation Army Band with favourite carols. At 4.40pm children and mums and dads, grans and grandads, will take part in a candlelight lantern parade.

Lions president David Cawdron said: “We are extremely grateful for the tremendous support we have received from local shops and businesses and from the town council.”

For more lights switch on events, see our listings here