Christmas will be launched in spectacular style in Maghera this year with the Christmas Festival taking place on Saturday 10 December from 12-7pm.

There will be plenty of family entertainment throughout the day including a festive, fun afternoon treasure hunt around the town centre, craft workshops, face painting, balloon modelling and prize draws- there will even be a Polar Bear Dunk!

The hub of the festival will be on the Coleraine Road where the Chair of Mid Ulster District Council and Santa will turn on the lights at 5pm at the newly relocated Christmas tree.

At 6pm the Lantern Walk will take place in the Walled Garden followed by Story Telling and Hot Chocolate in the Lurach Centre.

Don’t forget that you can be prepared with a lantern you made earlier by signing up to the Lantern Making workshop at the Lurach Centre.

To find out about Christmas events across Mid Ulster visit www.midulstercouncil.org/christmas.