ORGANISERS of the Victorian Shownight in Weymouth have secured almost £10,000-worth of funding to help extend the event.

Weymouth Business Improvement District (BID), Roger Dalton Associates and Emerald Ant, the three organisations behind the event, have been awarded a grant of £9,010 by Arts Council England.

The Victorian Shownight returned to the town last year and the funding will now be used by organisers to build on last year’s success and turn the shownight into a two-day Christmas-themed festival in the town centre.

The Yuletide celebrations will kick off on Friday, December 5, with the Victorian Shownight, with the lantern parade starting in Hope Square before the town’s Christmas lights are turned on in a special ceremony on New Bond Street.

On the Saturday, Santa’s Grotto will be opened at St Mary’s Church and throughout the weekend there will be performances from local choirs, the Salvation Army, a Christmas Food and Gift Market – plus the return of the popular synthetic ice rink.

Nigel Reed, Weymouth BID Manager, said “The BID hopes this will be the first of many projects that by working in partnership with other organisations that provide additional funding, outside of the levy, can help us to deliver the BID’s aims.

“These joint ventures will add benefit to businesses and in this case, the local community, through local schools’ involvement.”

This year’s theme for the lanterns will be airborne Victorian travelling machines, and organisers are encouraging members of the public to make their own lanterns to join in the parade.

Seven local schools will take part in workshops to create Victorian-themed lanterns.

For more information, contact BID on 01305 779410.