This Saturday sees one of the most popular days in the Lisnaskea calendar with the annual switching on of the Christmas Lights.
As always it is set to be a day packed with fun and entertainment as the town gets its festive programme underway and there will be an added extra this year with the Belfast Community Circus School set to thrill the crowds.
Lisnaskea Christmas Lights Committee member Brian Cosgrove says that it is a big day for the town.
“It is an important day in our diary and we would usually get a great crowd out in the town on the day. Hopefully, we will get a good day weather wise for it,” he stated.
There is a lot of work that goes in to organising the event and Brian explains that the Committee has grown in numbers this year.
“There just used to be the two of us in it with Jean McVitty and I but Jean, who put a lot of work into it, sadly passed away. This year though we have a committee of five people who have come together to organise it and that has been a big help. On the day then you would have a lot of voluntary workers,” he added.
The effort to have the town looking well for the festive season starts well before the switching on of the lights and Brian is thankful for the help of the businesses in the town.
“We would contact all the businesses in the town to help with the funding and we would also have a raffle and we would do quite well from that. On top of that the Council are quite generous in their help as well. It takes it all though when you think that repairs and things like that have to be taken into consideration,” he commented.
The entertainment will get underway at 2pm in the Archdale Hall with a children’s singalong and entertainment that will include balloon modelling and a magic show. This event is for pre-school and primary school children only. This will be followed by a kiddies disco and party games from 2.30pm-4pm before Santa arrives with his three elves to give out presents from his grotto to all children. The elves have been chosen as winners of an art competition which was run in the three primary schools in the area with one winner from each school.
At the Cornmarket, there will be Lisnaskea Men’s Shed and Lisnaskea Historical Society Craft Stalls with entertainment and music from 2pm to 4pm. And then from 4pm there will be carol singing led by Tommy McDermott and the local singers.
If that is not enough, there is also the Belfast Community Circus School which will be running from 3.30pm to 5.30pm.
The act will include Tony Tinseltoes, a versatile character who entertains on stilts, Cleo, who mesmerises with fire or LED hoops as well as Mr H, a character who is dressed in a top hat and suit and who plays with fire while entertaining all ages. 
The switch-on of the Christmas lights will then take place at 4.30pm.