The Methodist Church will be hosting the Alderley Edge Christmas Tree Festival once again this year with a beautiful display of50 trees decorated by local organisations, schools and businesses.
The annual festival, now in its 9th year, will see the church filled with trees of all shapes and sizes for visitors to admire during the second weekend in December.
The festival will open on Friday 8th December from 1pm to 4.30pm, and Philip Underwood, Organist and Choirmaster at St.Bartholomew's Church, will perform Vivaldi's Four Seasons at 2pm. This will be followed by a Christingle Service in aid of The Children's Society at 6pm to which everyone is welcome.
On Saturday 9th December the festival will be open from 10am until 4.30pm. Community Choir members will entertain visitors at 2pm followed by a performance from Alderley Edge flutes at 3pm. in the evening Pemberton Old Band, Wigan will be perform a Brass Band Concert, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets, costing £12.50, are available from the Church Office on 01625 586713 or via email.
Then on Sunday 10th December the festival opens at 3pm, and Alderley Edge Orchestra will be joining with the Methodist Church at 3.30pm to help bring the Festival to a close.
The orchestra will provide a seasonal entertainment with Christmas music, poetry and carols for audience participation.
Helen Hall, from the orchestra, says, "We are really looking forward to this event. On a dark winter afternoon the church will have a magical atmosphere with scores of Christmas trees lit up and we hope to have a packed church to help us celebrate the occasion. The concert will include favourites such as Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride and traditional carols, but also some less well-known and quirky items – come along and find out! And bring your good singing voices!"
Seasonal refreshments will be served in the interval and there will be some stalls to buy unique Christmas presents for those difficult-to-buy-for friends and family.
Judy Povey, from the church, says "Our Christmas Tree Festival is a really important part of our church calendar. It gets bigger and more ambitious every year and we like to bring in new ideas. It will be lovely to have our friends from the orchestra providing a rousing finale to a weekend of activities."
Proceeds from the concert will go to the church's Christmas Tree charity, which this year is "Together for Short Lives." This is a UK charity which provides help and support for families of children with life-limiting illnesses.
Tickets for the Alderley Edge Orchestra concert cost £10 for adults and £1 for under eighteens. Tickets will be available on the door or can be bought in advance through the website or on the ticket hotline 01625 581321.
A Christmas fair and light refreshments will be available throughout the weekend as well as musical interludes.
