A favourite Ross tradition, which has taken place for about 60 years, will return to Ross this Saturday, December 21st.

Father Christmas, joined by favourite characters as well as the Carnival Prince and Princess, makes a special pre-Christmas visit to the town when he travels along Broad Street on a float to the Market Place.

To allow for the parade to take place safely Broad Street and Brookend Street in Ross-on-Wye will be closed between 4pm and 6pm on December 21st.The parade starts at about 4.50pm and Father Christmas arrives in the Market Place at about 5pm.

Dozens of families have made this annual event part of their own family tradition. Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts lead the procession with special lanterns, which in years gone by were flaming torches, before making their way through the special arches set up in the Market Place. Every year more than 1000 bags are filled with fruit, sweets and small toys, reminiscent of traditional stockings, and are given out to all children up to the age of 13.

Father Christmas is greeted at the Market House by the Mayor of Ross-on-Wye, and he then meets lots of the children who share their Christmas wishes as they have their photographs taken.

The Ross Gazette will be there once again this year and will be sharing lots of pictures in the paper which will be available in the shops on Christmas Eve, December 24th.See this week’s paper for more events and stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.