St Albans Christmas Cracker

The St Albans Christmas Cracker takes over the city centre on Sunday 22 November, from 12:00 to 18:00. It's the city's big free launch for the festive season, and it works as a drop-in afternoon: you can turn up for an hour or make a whole day of it. The roads close to traffic across St Peter's Street, Market Place, High Street, Chequer Street and Victoria Street, and the streets fill with festive lights, shopping and entertainment.

There's a main music stage with local bands and performers, a separate School Choirs stage, and carols by OVO Theatre at the Clock Tower. Stars from the Alban Arena pantomime will be out too, alongside children's crafts, street entertainment and fairground rides. Around 100 market stalls line the streets, with makers and crafters selling gifts, toys, decorations and homewares, and a good chunk of them devoted to festive food and drink. A Costa Coffee Christmas Catch-Up area serves mulled wine, and there's a free Santa's grotto, run thanks to St Albans BID, which adds to the family appeal.

It's billed as the city's biggest festive family event, and it's one of two outdoor street events the council delivers each year, the other being the St Albans Spring Festival. The road closure is larger than the city's other street events, so the whole centre becomes a pedestrianised festive street festival for the afternoon. Entry is free, and it runs from 12:00 to 18:00 across St Peter's Street, Market Place, High Street, Chequer Street and Victoria Street.