The first Friday
Every year, on the first Friday in December, Crowthorne high street is closed to all traffic from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. for the annual ‘late night’ Christmas shopping event. Stalls are set up along both sides of the road, selling all sorts of goodies. Many of the shops offer free mince pies, mulled wine and coffee.
Susannah, James and I went that night. It was amazing to see how transformed the street was and it was thronged with people and a surprisingly large number of friendly and well-behaved dogs.
Carol singers representing all ages of the community, from little angels from a local school to bigger people in Father Christmas hats, sang for the passing crowds. Live music was everywhere, inside the shops and outside the library and other locations.
It was good to see so many people out and about and the weather played nicely, too. It had been a very cold day but it was dry and seemed warmer in the evening. Maybe that was warmth given off by the crowds!
A great deal of effort went into this event from the organisers and there was a general feeling of goodwill. It’s a pleasant place to live.
My photographs
are rather fuzzy, I’m afraid!
