Alvin M. Keeling 
Organizers of this year’s Christmas festival said they were “delighted” to open its doors and hope it will be an event the town can be proud of.
The construction of the festival is well advanced on the place of the Saint-Pierre church, with several Christmas chalets already built along a Ferris wheel.
David Hill, Founder and Managing Director of E3 Eventssaid lessons had been learned from the “challenges” of last year’s event.
He said: “We have tried to apply these lessons to deliver a truly authentic and traditional European-style Christmas market.
“We’ve been focused on producing a market that will look magical, beautifully lit and with the type of traders you’d expect to see at a Christmas market, plus some very unique stuff.
“We are very happy to show the site to the city.”
The construction of a Ferris wheel at the market is almost complete (Image: The Argus)
As well as a range of Christmas-themed stalls, visitors can enjoy a virtual reality sleigh ride and an “Austrian Apres Ski lodge”, which will offer people a chance to soak up the holiday cheer and enjoying a Christmas-themed drink.
Mr Hill said: ‘We have a full range, ranging from specialist German beers, mulled wine, mulled cider and hot chocolates produced by a company in Portslade – we are so proud to support local businesses.’
The festival has teamed up with other venues around town, including Ironworks Studios and the Hilton Hotel, to host plays, a Santa’s Grotto and even a talent show.
The event is also associated Brighton Palace Pier to serve as the festival’s official fairground.
Mr Hill said: ‘Our official exhibition grounds are on the pier – and why shouldn’t it be? We have one of the main fairgrounds on the south coast.
“Our approach has always been that this is a citywide event – we want the whole city to enjoy it.
“It will bring tourism to the town and we want them to enjoy the whole town, shop in North Laine, visit Churchill Square and experience our mall.”
The Brighton Christmas Festival also strives to raise funds for the Focus Foundation, the event’s official charity partner, which supports UK-based charities and social enterprises to make a positive and lasting difference in lives. people.
Mr Hill said all funds raised through the festival will be “fenced”, with the money going to charities and community groups in the town.
The festival opens to the public from 1 p.m. on Friday, with the Mayor of Brighton and Hove and the Snow Queen on hand to cut the ribbon. The festivities will last several weeks before ending on Christmas Eve.
