Markets, pageant and Santa to lift Albany’s Christmas spirit as holiday season kicks off

The spirit of the holidays will spill on to the streets of Albany on Saturday for the annual Christmas Festival and Pageant. There will be 30 floats in this year’s pageant, which will make its way along York Street from 6pm. Festivities will kick off earlier in the day with 25 market stalls and a number of food vendors expected to set up in the town square and Alison Hartman Gardens from 3pm. Santa will make a special visit to Albany for the festival and has kindly agreed to make himself available for photos from 3pm to 5.30pm before taking part in the pageant. A steady stream of music will be provided throughout the afternoon and into the evening by Pranava Music, Alvan String Band, Kris Nelson and Spindrift. Roaming entertainment will be provided by Southern Edge Arts Pesky Presents, musician James Gentle, Jamie the Clown and the Albany Arts Workshops, with the Albany Pipe Band performing at St John’s Church from 5.30pm. The Combined Churches Singers will perform carols from 7pm and the winning pageant floats will be announced at 7.30pm in the town square. A number of road closures will be in place from 4pm including York Street, Collie Street, Peels Place and adjoining streets or alleyways that will end inside the main road closure area. The Albany Highway roundabout will also be closed from 5pm. The Library carpark will be closed from 7am and parking bays on York Street, Peels Place and Collie Street will be closed from midday. The road closures will end at 8pm.