Leighton Buzzard Lights Switch On starts Christmas season and pays tribute to author Paul Brown

Leighton Buzzard's festive season will soon begin - as the Lights Switch On marks the start of the town's "cosy, traditional Christmas".

Santa's sleigh, special market stalls, a funfair, food court, and live entertainment will greet shoppers on Friday, November 27, as friends and families are invited to join together for the joyful celebrations.

The festive fun will take place in the town centre between 4pm and 8pm - with the lights switch on at 7pm followed by a fireworks display. The funfair will also run on the Saturday (November 28), with a special sensory-friendly time from 9am to 10.30am, in partnership with Frieddie and Friends.

Gennaro Borrelli, chairman of LB First, said: "The Christmas Festival is a great way to kickstart the festive season and another one of the wonderful events that the town council puts on throughout the year.

"It's very popular and the Christmas Festival, particularly on the Friday night draws a huge crowd, around 7 - 8,000 people."

This year's special guest will be Paul Tate from Leighton Buzzard and District Archaeological and Historical Society (LBDAHS), who has the honour of switching on the lights in memory of late Leighton Buzzard journalist and author, Paul Brown.

Paul, the former chair of LBDAHS, was the Guardian's Environment Correspondent from 1989 to 2005 - and had penned several books specialising in the history of Leighton Buzzard - one of which was Q Central, which he co-edited along with Edward Herbert.

Gennaro said: "Paul was Leighton Buzzard through and through. Thanks to his research, we discovered that the town was an intelligence hub and played a crucial role in shortening the length of World War Two.

"The switch on in his memory is the way of the town saying a big thank you."

On the Friday night, there will be live performances from Infinite Allstars Cheerleading Academy, Razzamataz Theatre Schools Leighton Buzzard, Leighton Buzzard Children's Theatre and The V.I.Peas.

Following this, Festive Saturdays will begin (November 28, December 15, 12, and 19) - offering four days of live music, community performances, walkabout entertainment, and free crafts for all ages. These will run from 10am to 3pm, alongside the Saturday markets, which start at 8.30am.

And as an extra gift to the town, travel will be free on all L route buses within Leighton-Linslade on all four Saturdays.

The Santa Dash, organised by the Leighton Fun Runners, will also take place on the Sunday (November 29), with over 100 people taking part for charity.

Gennaro concluded: "It's a joyous season - and the town centre is somewhere people can join together, shop, meet for lunch, dinner, the theatre, escape rooms, and live music.

"The High Street is evolving and by spending money locally it recirculates, rather than being siphoned out of town.

"The festival has a real cosy, traditional Christmas feel about it - the kind of thing you can't replicate anywhere else, and the kind of thing that young children treasure."

A Leighton-Linslade Town Council spokesman said: "Christmas is a special time in Leighton Buzzard and we can't wait to see our town centre come alive with festive cheer!

"From the magic of the lights switch on to four fantastic Saturdays of entertainment, we invite everyone to join the celebrations, enjoy the atmosphere and support our wonderful local businesses."

The Christmas Festival is organised by Leighton-Linslade Town Council in partnership with LB First.