ORGANISERS of a month-long Christmas extravaganza have issued a hearty thank you to local businesses for helping it get off the ground.

Final preparations are now well underway for the Weymouth BIG Christmas event and with just nine days to go, Weymouth BID, which has organised the festival, has thanked local firms for backing the inaugural event.

The festival will span 23 days and with a host of Yuletide-themed events and performances, it has taken a considerable effort from both the organisers and companies to not only host it, but to also finance it as well.

Nigel Reed, manager of the BID, praised the local businesses that had decided to throw their weight behind the campaign, and donned a Santa suit to show his appreciation.

He said: “It is excellent to see local organisations using BIG Christmas as a platform to showcase themselves.

“The event spans most of December with three weekends of entertainment, a Santa’s Grotto with the real ice rink in town until December 27.

“The combination of the business community and local organisations is great to see this time of year to benefit the town.”

The festival has been a community effort with local organisations playing a part in the celebrations throughout the month.

As part of the festival, there will be a real ice rink on New Bond Street for people to skate on, and there will also be a Santa’s Grotto located in Cineworld.

There will also be three weekends of entertainment, an ongoing Christmas Market and much more that will be revealed as the festival occurs.

Mr Reed added a big thank you to pub chain Wetherspoons, which is the main sponsor of the event, with SEALIFE Adventure Park, Fish ‘n’ Fritz, Goadsby and Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce all receiving thanks after they all signed up as category sponsors for the event.

As well as festive fun, and very much in the spirit of giving at Christmas, £1 from every ticket sold to the Santa’s Grotto will be donated to Dorset-based charity Julia’s House.

Taking to the stage at the event time include Weymouth Rock Choir, St Andrews School Choir, Hazel Scott Dancers, Friends of Wessex Folk Festival and Rachel Scott Singers. Refresh, Church of Weymouth and Portland in action, will also provide an interactive nativity on December 13.

Weymouth Community Volunteers will also help out at the event, and the Weymouth and Portland Lion club will also contribute to the festival For more information on the event or to buy tickets visit weareweymouth.co.uk/Christmas