Five Valleys Shopping Centre will be pulling out all the stops this weekend for Stroud Goodwill Evening as the festive season gets into full swing.
A wonderful evening of bonhomie, markets, late open shops and family entertainment is expected at the centre this Friday, December 1, and the fun will continue over the weekend with festive films at Vue cinema and a live cookery demonstration.
The theme of this year’s Stroud Goodwill Evening is ‘oceans’ and the town is gearing up for a full night of festivities, which will include the lantern procession at 6pm.
Five Valleys will be supporting the event by having late night shopping and delicious street food in the indoor market, alongside live music from the Friday Night Jazz Band at 7pm.
There will also be face painting from 5pm to 7pm, plus a hog roast to indulge in.
Shoppers will also get the chance to awe at the talents of local makers in the Cornhill.
Jack Simpson, centre manager at Five Valleys, said: “The Goodwill Evening is really special in Stroud and we are delighted to be supporting it.
“We have so much going on here at the centre so please come down as part of your evening out and experience what we have got going on.
“Our shops are open later offering loads of bargains and discounts in the lead up to Christmas. We also have our Friday Night Food Market featuring some of Stroud’s most popular food vendors and visitors will also be able to enjoy a bit of live music.
“It all promises to be a brilliant night.”
The fun will continue over the weekend at Five Valleys as visitors will get the chance to pick up some culinary tips at the latest live cookery demonstration on Sunday, December 3.
Armorel Willoughby, from Armadeli, will be showing people how to put together the perfect cheeseboard from noon and members of the public are invited to come along and ask questions.
Armadeli delicatessen and cheese shop choose only the finest cheeses from the best affineurs, both locally and on the continent.
Their wide selection of wines, beers and spirits provide a choice of organic, vegan, bio-dynamic, or low sulphur products all of which can be explored at their regular cheese and wine events.
The previous live cooking events, by traders including Jack Knight and Fat Toni’s Pizzeria, drew large crowds and a large gathering is also expected for Armadeli this Sunday. Future demonstrations are also planned in the lead up to Christmas.
Centre manager Jack Simpson said: “This is a great chance to learn about how you can wow your friends and family over the festive season with the perfect cheeseboard.
“Visitors can also take advantage of free parking, which is running on Sundays leading up to the New Year, and it also serves as a chance to browse many of the centre’s stores which are already stocking some fabulous ranges for Christmas.”
And to mark the countdown to Christmas, Vue Stroud has announced a number of classic festive films will be lighting up the silver screen again over the next few weeks.
This includes the Will Ferrell comedy classic Elf, which is celebrating it’s 20th year anniversary, plus the all-time classic Home Alone, starring Macaulay Culkin, and it’s sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol (celebrating it’s 30th year anniversary), The Polar Express and It’s A Wonderful Life (in 4k restoration) are also showing.
There will also be screenings of Christmas musical comedy film Spirited, starring Ryan Reynolds, in both standard format and special sing-a-long screenings.
For more information visit myvue.com
For more information about Five Valleys and future events visit www.fivevalleysstroud.co.uk
