Ilkley Town Council have said a massive thank you to all involved in last weekend’s Christmas Lights Switch On.
Despite the weather, the Christmas Lights Switch On event happened on Saturday afternoon on The Grove, hosted by Your Ilkley's Alex Cann.
Crowds were entertained by Ilkley Gym Club, Joze School of Dance and Performance Dance, before the lantern parade arrived and Father Christmas switched on the lights before making his way into the grotto.
A spokesperson for Ilkley Town Council said on its Facebook page:
"The weather was truly awful, the installation of the lights on the Thursday before Saturday’s event was, through no fault of our own, cutting it rather fine, and there was some concern that no one would turn up due to the snow, ice, rain, wind, and sleet! However, with the help of so many wonderful volunteers and local groups, we hope we managed to make it a success."
"We would therefore like to give our heartfelt thanks to, in no particular order, everyone who came along despite the drizzle to celebrate with us; all of the children, families and schools involved with making lanterns for the parade and, of course, Cecil Green Arts; the enthusiastic performers who gave it their all in inclement conditions.
"Thanks to Ilkley Bandstand Committee for all their help; everyone at Christchurch, Ilkley; Isabel Ashman - Ilkley Town Crier (Ilkley’s wonderful Town Crier); Niamh for taking some fantastic photos; David Shaw MBE and everybody involved with Ilkley Community Network (including volunteers from Ilkley Carnival, the Rotary Club of Ilkley Wharfedale, Rotary Ilkley Forward and Ilkley Pride & Diversity Group), with particular thanks to Tom and George for everything they did on the day. Last, but not least, thanks so much to Father Christmas and the elves for turning on the lights and bringing a sense of magic and excitement to the whole event.
"We’re now looking forward to 2025’s event and are keeping our fingers crossed for a sunny day!"
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