Brentwood is gearing up for a Christmas extravaganza next weekend with competitions, music and hidden Santas.

Lighting Up Brentwood will take place on Saturday, December 1 and will include performances from local groups on the main stage from noon.

There will be entertainment from street performers, live reindeer in Crown Street, a jazz band as well as food and craft stalls selling Italian oils, cakes, organic meat and jewellery.

It will also mark the start of the Christmas Window Competition.

Excited

The Mayor of Brentwood, Cllr Ann Coe, and the winners of the council’s Christmas card design competition, will turn on the Christmas lights at 5pm.

For the chance to win a range of prizes find Santas hiding in 24 places around the town centre.

People who find them all will have the chance to win: a �25 Mitchells Jewellers voucher; five Old MacDonald’s Farm tickets; a Calcott Hall Farm luxury hamper plus Sugar Hut merchandise.

Second prizes are two toys from B&M Cycles; a selection of books from St Francis Hospice; and a �30 Dominos Pizza voucher. Third prizes include a �10 Whittakers Caf� voucher. Forms for the competition can be collected from stewards, or from the French Quarter shop in Crown Street.

Cllr Mark Reed, chairman of Brentwood Council’s business, community and culture panel, said: “I am very excited about this year’s Lighting Up Brentwood. We have lots going on and everyone in the family’s going to have fun.

“I would like to thank the very generous local shops, groups and businesses who have made it all possible.”