Scarborough Sparkle Returns This Weekend

Scarborough Sparkle returns to the open air theatre this weekend to bring festive fun for all ages.

The much-loved winter festival is returns to Scarborough from Friday evening with funfair rides, food stalls and stage performances to usher in the festive season.

Scarborough Sparkle will enchant audiences from Friday, November 28, to Sunday, November 30, filling the town’s Open Air Theatre with more than 50 stalls selling gifts, hot food and drinks. 

North Yorkshire Council is running the event, which will be launched with a lantern parade led by Animated Objects and local community groups in Peasholm Park at 5.30pm on the Friday evening. 

Visitors can toast marshmallows and listen to music in a tipi bar, ride a festive train and enjoy live entertainment at the main stage hosted by This is the Coast radio station featuring local choirs, bands and competitions. 

There will be funfair rides, live music, a snow machine, Christmas tree, Santa sleigh, the Grinch and Frozen characters. The event is sponsored by O'Briens funfairs, catering and stage hire. 

Vicki Jones from the council's events team says there is  something for everyone.

"Sparkle covers a whole footprint of the Open Air theatre down in North Bay Scarborough.

We've got a huge range of stalls from hot food stalls to craft stalls, gift stalls.

The Teepee Bar is open. We've got fairground rides throughout the open Air theatre as well.

There's a little land train that's running rides along the prom from the North gate of the Open Air Theatre.

Yeah, there's all sorts going on. There's lots of entertainment as well."

The North Bay Railway will transport people to the event, and a free bus service by Shoreline Suncruisers will run from Eastfield to the Open Air Theatre. 

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, said:

“Scarborough Sparkle is a magical and enchanting wonderland, sure to get everybody into the festive spirit and offers entertainment for people of all ages.  

“With an array of independent traders selling their products, it’s the perfect place to dive into the festive spirit and get a head start on Christmas shopping. 

“The free bus service from Eastfield makes it easy for local people to attend, and we expect to see an increase in visitors from further afield at what is usually a quieter time of year for tourists.” 

Local schools have formed choirs to perform during the event and Claire Barber, the headteacher of St Martin's Primary School, has spoken of the excitement of staff and pupils. 

“We are busy rehearsing and getting our performance ready for this fantastic event,” she said. “We have taken part for many years now and we always see the Sparkle event as our start to Christmas in school. 

“The lantern parade is a special feature for us and the children can't wait to wrap up warm, add their glowing lights and take in the wonder that is Scarborough Sparkle.” 

For the ninth year, the lantern parade will be staged by Animated Objects with the help of community groups across the town.

The artistic director of Animated Objects, Lee Threadgold, said:

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to be bringing back this ever-popular event. There’s an abundance of creativity and fantastic community work going on across Scarborough and it’s great to be able to celebrate this as part of the weekend. 

“There’s a lot of new lanterns to see this year, including a huge section based on The Twelve Days of Christmas to get everybody into the festive spirit. 

“We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken part in our workshop sessions over the last few months to make this one of the most colourful parades yet.” 

Vicki Jones from the council events team says the parade will mark the start of the festivities.

The parade, if people want to catch it, is starting at 5:30pm from the top end of Peasholm Park.

They'll be coming around the lake over the crossing and into the open air theatre carrying beautiful lanterns that have been created by animated objects.

And it brings hundreds and hundreds of people into sparkle.

And we'll have the snow machine on the way in as well. It really, really does feel like Christmas starts here 

Admission to the venue is free. It will run from

• 5pm to 9pm on Friday, November 28, 
• 11am to 8pm on Saturday November 29,
• 11am to 5pm on Sunday, November 30. 

Scarborough Sparkle Entertainment

FRIDAY 28 NOVEMBER

SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER

SUNDAY 30 NOVEMBER

The free bus will operate a return service on Saturday and Sunday from Eastfield, passing through Crossgates, Falsgrave and Scarborough town centre, before arriving at Peasholm Park.