Wintertide Festival returns to light up the Headland

The Wintertide Festival returns for three days of events and activities developed by volunteers to celebrate the area.

It all starts on Friday night (November 25) when 100 schoolchildren will lead a lantern parade from the Heugh Battery Museum to the Town Square to mark the switch-on of the Christmas Tree and event illuminations by Hartlepool United mascot H’Angus.

Harland Deer, of Hartlepool Borough Council, which is supporting the festival, said: “St Hilda’s Church will be really striking when it is lit up.”

Over the weekend, the Town Square will play host to a Christmas market with traders in wooden cabins and Bloomin Art will hold a series of art and craft workshops in Headland sports hall.

On Saturday, the Borough Hall will host Believe, a magical performance about a girl that falls asleep on Christmas Eve dreaming about her toys coming to life, at 1pm and 3.30pm. Tickets are £2 on (01429) 890000.

On the afternoon, The Heugh Gun Battery will show a series of short films by local filmmakers. A fireworks display is planned at 5.30pm.

On Sunday morning, the first Turkey Trot for Hartlepool’s Alice House Hospice will be held on the Town Moor.

Headland Local History Group will hold an indoor craft market from 11am-3pm.

Throughout the weekend, The Duke of Cleveland, The Cosmopolitan and Fishermans Arms pubs will hold a mix of free and ticketed music events. For the full programme visit www.destinationhartlepool.com