MINEHEAD’S festive celebrations have been on a rollercoaster ride this week. The Community Christmas Extravaganza – held for the first time last year – was cancelled by the organisers and, with the Christmas Community Festival already scaled down, neither of last December’s major events will be going ahead.
But the Friends of Minehead First School announced on Wednesday that they have secured financial support from the Minehead Events Group and are planning to increase the scale of their annual Christmas fair to provide a festive event for the town.
Last year’s new Christmas Extravaganza was organised by members of the community together with Revive Minehead and was hailed a big success, and plans were well advanced for a bigger and better event this year.
But with a lack of sponsorship to meet increased costs, the event scheduled for December 10 was called off on Monday.
The organisers said everything had been put in place and sorted out for the event, with reindeer and bands booked, but there was a lack of funding and they did not want to let them down.
“With one person recovering from major surgery, another severely disabled, and a lack of funding, it’s just too late to be able to go ahead,” said Phil Rattray, one of the volunteers.
Also not taking place is the Community Christmas Festival, which was organised by Minehead Town Council and the town’s Chamber of Commerce and took place a week before the Extravaganza last year.
Instead, the town council is planning only a low-key Christmas lights switch-on, having decided it was pointless to have two events in the town as the Extravaganza organisers seemed confident of organising another successful event.
Full story in tomorrow’s (Nov 4) Free Press.