Join Us For Woodbridge's Biggest Christmas Lights Switch On Events tonight and tomorrow - with Soul Legend Geno Washington Bringing Brit Soul Home
Woodbridge's biggest ever Christmas Lights Switch On event. Taking place on Thursday 27 November and Friday 28 November, events will be happening across the town and will be headlined by Soul legend Geno Washington, who will play live with his band The Yo Yos on Market Hill on Thursday night.
Other music acts announced include funky brass band Eastern Angles, singer songwriter Kevin Pearce (aka Sun Cutter), DJ Ben Osborne, VJ Girl In A T-Shirt, The Company of Four singers, a fire performer and a brass quintet playing Christmas carols by the river. The Lights Switch On at Market Hill will be followed by a Lantern Parade to the Thoroughfare.
Events across town will include £1 children's rides on Market Hill and by the river in Whisstocks Place and an open air street food market on The Thoroughfare with German Sausages and Pretzels, Korean food, Jamaican Jerk chicken and jerk fish burgers, wood fired pizza, mac n' cheese, sour dough gourmet toasties, American burgers and hot dogs and doughnuts. There will be horse box bars, mulled wine tents and craft beer stands serving everything from cocktails and Prosecco to honey beer. Shops are staying open until 8pm for the first late night shopping event of the year.
Christmas projections on the Tide Mill on Friday night will feature over 300 community artworks, with contributions by Suffolk New College students, children from Woodbridge's schools, 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts, local and national artists and Woodbridge Art Club. There will also be artworks contributed by a community arts project from Doullens in France; Woodbridge's planned new twin town.
Geno Washington is appearing live 60 years after he started his musical career while serving in the US Airforce bases in RAF Woodbridge. He is appearing as part of Super Fly, the first project to celebrate the role played by the Suffolk USAF bases in bringing American black music in to the UK.
Geno is often remembered because of Dexy's Midnight Runners 1980 hit Geno, which was a tribute to him. In the 1960s he was the biggest UK based soul star. He headlined alongside Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and Cream and his upbeat version of soul music predicated the rise of Northern Soul. His 1967 albums outsold The Beatles. Geno only started singing after he was stationed to RAF Woodbridge and RAF Bentwaters - and his musical journey started here in Suffolk.
We're delighted to bring Geno back to the play Woodbridge, the place where it all began, after a 60 year hiatus.
Time Table (Subject to Change)
Thursday 27 November
4:00-8:00pm Events begin on Thoroughfare and Market Hill with music Children's rides and street food.
4:30-5:15pm Lantern Workshops In Shire Hall
4:30pm Company of Four carol singers, Market Hill
4:30pm Kevin Pearce/ Sun Cutter, Thoroughfare
5:10pm Eastern Angles Brass Band
6pm Lights Switch On and procession from Market Hill to Thoroughfare
6:15pm Eastern Angles Brass Band, Thoroughfare
7:00pm Kevin Pearce/ Sun Cutter, Thoroughfare
7:45pm Geno Washington and The YoYos LIVE on Market Hill
8:45pm DJs and bars in Market Hill Square.
10.00pm close
Friday 28 November
4:00-8:00pm Events begin at Whisstocks Place with music, Children's rides and street food.
4:30-5:30pm Brass Band Quintet play Christmas carols
5:00pm lights switch on by Barrie Hayter of 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts
5:30pm-7:30pm AV Show with over 250 contributions by local artists, students, school children and 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts
After Party - At Hopsters x Burnt Mill Taproom with vinyl sets by DJ Ben Osborne.
10.30pm close
This year's Lights On event has been organised by Woodbridge Festival of Art and Music in collaboration with and paid fo by Woodbridge Town Council, to celebrate the town's Xmas lights put up by Choose Woodbridge on behalf of Woodbridge Town Council.