Crowds gathered to watch as the Christmas lights at South Shields were lit up by East 17 on the most festive event of the year.
The South Shields Lights Switch On took place on November 21. BBC Newcastle’s Gilly Hope hosted the event and she was joined by Mayor Councillor Norman Dick and Mayoress Mrs Jean Williams.
Local group Choirmaster kicked off the event with cheery Christmas classics that we all know and love. That was then followed by characters of The Customs House panto Snow White who put on a humorous taster performance of what to expect at their upcoming pantomime. To bring the show to a close we saw East 17 give us 90s vibes as they performed, ending with the popular Christmas song, Stay Another Day in the iconic white jackets.
Adam Allinson, founder and director of Choirmaster said: “It was an absolute delight to perform at the Christmas light switch on in South Shields. The
atmosphere was absolutely electric and as usual the audience didn’t disappoint!”
The crowd was in the festive spirit as they sang, danced and laughed throughout the event with their loved ones.
Jeff Dean, manager of nearby pub, the Alum Ale House said: “It’s great because it brings a lot of new faces to the pub. It happens every year, but the amount of people can differ depending on the weather.”
The Mayor of the town, Norman Dick, said: “This is an exciting time of year in South Tyneside and we hope that everyone who attended the South Shields light switch on had a wonderful evening and continue to have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.”