DETAILS have been confirmed for Tranent’s Christmas lights switch-on, which takes place this weekend and includes a torchlight procession for the first time.

The day will start with a Winter Wonderland at St Martin’s Church Hall, which is organised by Tranent Children’s Gala.

A range of items will be for sale, while refreshments will also be available at St Martin’s, and youngsters will get a chance to visit the town’s Santa’s Grotto at the event, between 2 and 4.30pm.

Following the conclusion of the Winter Wonderland, a torchlight procession will leave the car park at 4.45pm, to which everyone is encouraged to join in.

The procession will be led by Tranent Pipe Band and Santa, while light-up toys will be available for youngsters to take part in the procession.

It will make its way through the town centre and arrive at Winton Place at about 5pm.

Carol singing will then take place, led by The Fraser Centre and Ross High School Brass Band, while DeriJane Ross, Gala Queen, and consort Jay Winters will have the honour of performing the switch-on.

Refreshments will also be provided in The Fraser Centre, on Winton Place, afterwards.

Paula Waugh, a former convenor of the town’s gala, hopes that the new event will encourage more people to get involved.

She said: “We hope with the new addition of Santa’s torchlight procession that a lot more people come and join in.”

And Robert McNeill, chairman of Tranent Children’s Gala committee, which co-organises the event alongside Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council, where he is also a member, hopes the new event draws people to attend.

Mr McNeill told the Courier: “The torchlight parade takes place in other local communities and as a community who have a good track record of working together, this type of event is just another way of bringing the local community together.”

While David Forrest, community council chairman, confirmed “everything was going well” in the build-up to the event.

The town’s High Street will also be closed between 4 and 6pm to allow the safe passage of the torchlight procession to Civic Square for the lights switch-on, and to allow crowds to disperse after the event has ended. For more info, search Tranent Children’s Gala Day on Facebook.