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Carrott to switch on festive lights
Nov 15 2003
Birmingham Post
Jasper Carrott and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham John Alden will switch on the city's Christmas lights tomorrow.
The grand switch-on will take place in Centenary Square at 6pm and will form part of a day of events.
The light show will include special effects and lasers, as well as the illumination of a Christmas tree fire sculpture. Four giant video screens in the square will display the illuminations.
The festivities will start at 9am when there will be live screening of England's rugby world cup semi-final against France on the big screens in Centenary Square.
Among the other entertainment will be the Ladbrokes Pantomime Horse Grand National at 3pm when contestants will tackle a 12-jump course from the Novotel on Broad Street to Centenary Square.
In the evening there will be a pop concert in Centenary Square, which will include performances by Jamelia, Clarkesville, Lamar, Javine, Blazin Squad and Rachel Stevens from 6pm to 9pm.
Last night it was unclear whether Jamelia would attend after her step-brother Tafawa Beckford appeared in court charged with the double murder of Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare. A spokesman for BRMB said the star was in discussions as to whether she should appear.
Coun Ian Ward, Cabinet member for leisure, culture and sport, said : "We are very excited about the day, which marks the beginning of Birmingham's Christmas shopping season.
"It will be a day fully bursting with fun and entertainment for the whole family. We are hoping to have the biggest and best Christmas light switch on in the country and are sure that with our funpacked programme we may be able to achieve our aims."
For safety reasons, some road closures will take place on the day. Along Broad Street (from Sheepcote Street to Paradise Circus), closures will take place from 8am to midnight, along Gas Street and Berkley Street from 1pm to 3.30pm, along Paradise Circus from 5pm to 10pm and along Bridge Street from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.
