Christmas in July comes to Stirling

Yule be sure to have a good time at Stirling next week, as the Christmas season arrives five months early and with a sleigh full of fun.

The Stirling Business Association and event sponsor Stirling Hotel have teamed up to hold the inaugural Stirling Christmas in July, a four-day main street event featuring live music, face painting, gingerbread decorating, roasted marshmallows and, for the older ones, mulled wine.

Hoping to capture the magic of a winter Christmas, event organiser Cass Preece said it was about showcasing what made the town such a special place to be in during winter.

“It’s a really good blend of promoting Stirling and also having fun with Christmas,” she said.

“We’re really excited about having entertainment and fire pits and kids’ activities – it’s during the school holidays, so it’s a really good chance to activate the space and get people here and give them something to do on a cold day, rather than just staying inside.”

Between Thursday, July 18, and Sunday, July 21, starting at 2pm each day, visitors and locals will be welcomed to Steamroller Park as the first stop on their Christmas pilgrimage along the main street, taking them to Quercus Corner and on to the Stirling Hotel.

At Steamroller Park and the Stirling Hotel, a live music artist line-up, curated by local musician and entertainer Anya Anastasia and featuring set-lists of festive tunes, will provide the soundtrack to the afternoon and evening’s festivities.

Ms Preece said attendees were encouraged to move between locations and check out the shops and cafes along the way.

“Businesses will welcome people in their doors, even if it’s raining,” she said.

“It would be really lovely to see lots of people come through and celebrate Christmas with us.

“I think we can certainly own this space and it would be lovely to do this annually.”

Stirling Hotel venue manager Cameron Frost said the hotel would have a range of activities and culinary options as the official last stop on the Christmas in July journey.

“We’re very, very passionate about doing things in this beautiful town, so supporting Christmas in July was a no-brainer for us,” he said.

“We’re the last stop on each of the days, as they turn into evenings, with some late night entertainment and activities for the whole family, including live music, mulled wine, we’ll have a big two and a half metre tall lit-up bauble for people to take photos with.

“We’ll also have fire pits and some gingerbread decorating for the children, as well as a Christmas-themed three-course option which you can book for those evenings.”

To find out more about what’s on offer at Stirling Christmas in July, visit tinyurl.com/StirlingChristmas.