Events schedule shines a light on the North this winter
Oct 31
Streets of the Bradford district will be sparkling once again with the return of an all-inclusive seasonal initiative.
After two successful campaigns, the comeback of the all singing, all dancing seasonal programme, Sparkling Bradford, has been announced by key partners The Broadway Bradford, Bradford Council, Made in Bradford, Visit Bradford, The University of Bradford and the Bradford Business Improvement District (BID).
A staple in any festive calendar, Sparkling Bradford Christmas is rolling out an unprecedented line up of indoor and outdoor yuletide events to celebrate the winter season. Hundreds of people are expected to gather at numerous experiences; putting the district firmly on the map as a Christmas destination of the North.
To celebrate the start of Sparkling Bradford Christmas, a series of events to spread festive cheer will be taking place during launch week from the 4 to 8 November. On Wednesday 6 November, the wheels are in motion for 60 reception pupils from Saltaire Primary School to visit the Shipley Glen Cable Tramway for a free ride and festive gift ahead of the Santa Specials starting in December. During the launch week, hampers bursting with yuletide treats will be given to hospices across the district.
Ian Ward, general manager at The Broadway and chair of the Bradford BID, said: “As it’s the season of giving, we’re looking forward to kicking off the events spectacular with a launch week to spread Christmas cheer across all towns in the district. With the countdown on for the Broadway’s Festive Launch, there’s a real build-up of excitement amongst the community and visitors. We can’t wait to show more people what Bradford has to offer.”
All of the season’s events have been wrapped up in a Christmas brochure, which will be delivered across the district in the coming weeks and can be found in tourism offices across Ilkley, Haworth, Keighley and Bradford. The pages of the brochure will come to life in every corner of the district, including the Broadway’s Festive Launch, the Ilkley Teepees, Saltaire’s Living Advent Calendar and Torchlight Weekend in Haworth.
A Bradford Council spokesperson, said: “It’s phenomenal to see the return of this extremely successful initiative showcasing the many amazing events across the district for people to enjoy.
“There are some fabulous things to see and take part in over the coming weeks, from the ever-popular Victorian Christmas Market at the Bradford Industrial Museum, the famous Alhambra pantomime, the Winter Wonderland event at Bolling Hall and new for this year the Bradford Christmas Fayre and Lantern Parade, and so much more – all easily accessible online or in the brochure.”
As part of the initiative, visitors are encouraged to take part in the Christmas trail. Large Christmas cards created by Sand in Your Eye will be displayed in six locations from 4 November and a hidden letter must be found at each location, creating an anagram to be solved. The winner will receive £200 in vouchers for The Broadway and will be announced on Friday 3 January. Each week, £50 will be given for the best selfie submitted on social media using the hashtag #SparklingBradfordSelfie.
For more information follow #SparklingBradford and @VisitBradford on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, search Sparkling Bradford online or visit www.visitbradford.com/sparklingbradford.
