A quarter of a million people are expected to flock to Lincoln over the next three days as the Lincoln Christmas Market returned after a year of closures due to the Covid pandemic, today.
This comes amidst fears that event planners have taken a risk going ahead with the event, but after today’s turn out, it seems the palpable excitement is not stopping merrymakers from enjoying the sights, smells and sounds of one of Lincoln’s proudest occasions.
Organisers are assuring visitors that extra measures are in place to safeguard the health of the public, such as ensuring stallholders and their employees all wear masks, that there is adequate spacing between stalls, and encouraging those attending to don masks inside stalls and marquees.
Street-food and Christmas-themed fun is on the menu for the swathes of people expected to complete the climb up Steep Hill to enjoy and interact with the activities which include fairground rides (no one could forget the magnificent Big Wheel!), arts, crafts and numerous other food stalls.
The public are, however, being cautioned that they must walk into the festive atmosphere of the Market having tested themselves using easily-obtained lateral flow tests, and people are being told that the emerging omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus shouldn’t stop them from getting in the mood and revelling in the lovely atmosphere and festivities.
The Christmas Market will be open from 10am to 9.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 10am to 7pm on Sunday 5th December, the final day of the event. There are a total of 150 stalls this year promising the finest in Lincolnshire food and beverages.
This year there is no parking in the locale of the Christmas Market, so people are being advised to use the Park & Ride service, which operates from the Lincolnshire Showground just north of Lincoln on the A15 . The site will be well signposted for incoming visitors.
There is also a dedicated service for people with disabilities, in the form of specially adapted vehicles which also runs from the Showground.
Remember, enjoy yourselves, but stay safe!