Chester was alive with festive spirit as thousands lined the streets to see the city’s Christmas lights switched on.

Lanterns, music and a spectacular parade featuring the mystical Queen of Lights were the main highlights of the evening, but there was more than enough going on to entertain the huge crowds that turned out.

Dee 106.3, who were broadcasting live from their special vintage bus on Eastgate Street, compered the proceedings, which featured performances from Chester choir A Handbag of Harmonies, the University of Chester choir and The City of Chester Training Band.

But it was the glittering parade, led by the giant Queen of Lights, that was the real spectacle of the night.

Escorted by her protector – a tiger from Chester Zoo’s Lantern Magic event – she was accompanied by Powerbockers, Karamba Samba, The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Chester, Wind Up Brass, Kajal Sharma’s Kathak dancers and lantern bearing children from Hoole, Cherry Grove, Belgrave and Chester Blue Coat schools.

Also involved were chELFie, CH1ChesterBID’s very own Christmas elf, Cheshire Dance and University of Chester dance students, Swing Stompers – and, of course, Santa.

The parade wound its way through the city streets, past the waving crowds, and culminated in an impressive fireworks display at the Roman ampitheatre.

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It was also opening night of this year’s Christmas Market in the Town Hall Square – which has been heralded as the biggest ever in the city; and this was in full swing, with hundreds eager for a glimpse of the festivities. The market, which runs until December 15, is open daily from 10am-6pm, with late night shopping on Thursdays until 8pm.

And hundreds of families have already visited Chester Racecourse’s Winter Wonderland, visiting Santa’s grotto, meeting the reindeer and enjoying skating on the ice rink. The event is scheduled to run until Christmas Eve.

Meanwhile at Chester Zoo, children can write letters to Santa and get creative at a lantern workshop, before exploring the zoo after dark as part of the Lantern Magic event from December 4-23.

CH1ChesterBID company chairman Paul Daniels said he was ‘delighted’ to be involved in bringing some festive fun to the city.

“We want to bring people together this Christmas and we want to bring them to Chester,” he added.

Fears a city centre power cut may affect the Christmas lights switch-on proved unfounded.

There were problems in Watergate Street and Bridge Street throughout the day on Thursday but Scottish Power had managed to restore electricity to most businesses by about 5pm.

Concern remained the Christmas lights may fail given the instability of the network but in the event everything was fine.

Engineers dug up the pavement outside Carluccio's Italian restaurant and have been busy fixing the fault today (Friday, November 21).

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