Santa sleigh makes first appearance at Shrewsbury Christmas lights switch-on as it prepares to go on tour
Santa's sleigh will be making a total of 21 appearances in the Shrewsbury area over the festive season.
The first appearance of Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club's Santa sleigh was at the Christmas lights switch-on in Shrewsbury on Wednesday evening.
It was the first time the popular sleigh had been able to receive so many excited youngsters following the pandemic.
Queues continuously stretched back for several yards down Pride Hill as the thrilled youngsters – and even mums and dads – were once again able to take advantage of a long-standing tradition of talking to Santa and visiting the sleigh for photo after photo.
One of the evening’s elves, Rotarian Julian Wells said: “This ever-popular annual event attracted bigger crowds than ever and it was a pleasure to see so many smiling faces, especially when the youngsters met Santa.
“We are looking forward to touring the town next month with far fewer restrictions than in 2020.”
The sleigh will be in Pontesbury from 4pm-6pm on December 4; Asda from noon-8pm on December 6 and a day later at Monkmoor between 6pm and 8pm.
The sleigh will visit Sainsbury’s from noon to 8pm on December 8; Morrisons from 10am-8pm on December 9; Sundorne Avenue from 6pm-8pm on
December 10 and it will return to Asda on December 11 between 10am and 8pm.
Over the following days it will be at Mount Pleasant from 6pm-8pm on December 12; Sainsbury’s from 10am-8pm on December 13; Asda from 10am-8pm on December 14; Morrisons from 10am-8pm on December 15; Shawbury from 6pm-8pm on December 16; Morrisons from 10am-8pm on December 17; Asda from 10am-8pm on December 18; Tesco from 10am-4pm on December 19; Copthorne from 6pm-8pm on December 20 and Sainsbury’s from 10am-8pm on December 21.
In the days running up to Christmas Day the sleigh will visit Morrisons from 10am-8pm on December 22; Tesco from 10am-8pm on December 23 and on Christmas Eve Santa will be at Sainsbury’s between 10am and 8pm.
Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club Santa sleigh organiser Fred McDonogh said: “We shall do our very best to fulfil the whole of the scheduled itinerary which includes a total of 14 days of Santa and the sleigh at the supermarkets in 66 two hourly slots.
“In addition, the sleigh will be putting in appearances in the villages of Pontesbury and Shawbury as well as performing sleigh runs in the town areas of Monkmoor, Sundorne, Mount Pleasant and Copthorne.”
