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Fleet Festivities for 2008 will be held along Fleet Rd on 26 November from 4pm

The forecast was set to be rain but following the success of last year the crowds still came out in force for another magnificent night of entertainment and shopping in Fleet.  And who would let a little rain dampen spirits with 300 meters of stalls, a shopping centre packed with goodies, 4 stages of entertainment, fairground rides, including a giant Carousel would be enough to get anyone into Town.  But then they added rides with Thomas the Tank Engine, Sleigh Rides with Father Christmas, Millers Ark with their nativity animals and Reindeer plus Berkley Owls were doing their wonderful display.  A traditional Steam Lorry took Father Christmas and his helpers down the street followed by the Rotary club Santa’s workshop, followed again by the 2 Ten FM black thunders.  The procession squeezed its way down the road flanked by Rotarians and the crowds hardly noticed the rain.  It arrived in Gurkha square in time to hear the beautiful sound of All Saints School Choir with their traditional Christmas songs.  The proud parents and thousand strong crowd hardly noticed the rain and the crowd was been drawn in bigger and bigger.  Jason Riordan sang about his love of Fleet then Elvis joined the stage with the team from Starburst Theatre and the crowd were swinging.  The switch went down the lights went on and the fireworks filled the sky with colour.  “Fleet has never seen such a spectacle, the fireworks could even be seen through the glass roof of the Hart Centre,” said Caroleanne Baker the Hart Shopping Centre Manager, “We have never seen footfall like it, we have had to triple check our numbers, we had 15,000 people through the centre between 4pm and 8pm, our 3000 mince pies were gone in the first 2 hours and 450 litres of wine were consumed, we could not have asked for more.”

Times were good for many businesses that got involved; Brian Bass had a very busy night which is not surprising as they were giving away a new PC to their Rally Winner, next door co-op funeral directors were doing what they do best in the line of colourful coffins, McDonalds had their busiest single hour for 15 years since opening, Results gym signed up 15 new memberships on their stall in the street and most charities we spoke to believe they have done better than previous years.  A Penny Lane flower in the Hart Centre had a number of customers return the next day to make purchases, and at Captured Moment wine was served to many new faces not seen before. 

“I must offer my thanks to AJ Colfer Business Solicitors who generously sponsored the event and who without whom it would not have occurred.  Lions club and HSBC provided the bulk of Marshals co-ordinated by Philip Crane of Churches Together Fleet and Crookham.  Maria Jones who has assisted me in the organisation has also been invaluable. This years event represents the result of 11 months work built on last years efforts.  We were so worried when we heard the weather forecast that it would be a disaster but this could not have been further from the truth.  It was wet but warm and spirits stayed high late into the night.  The evening was quite simply a delight.” Said Kevin Whibley owner of Captured Moment in Fleet and the event co-ordinator on behalf of Fleet Business Partnership. “I can’t thank everyone here, the paper is not big enough, but everyone knows who they are and without them it would not have happened.”

“This event has once again proven that when business and community get together we are indeed greater than the sum of our parts.  And we look forward to seeing these thousands of people return to use their local shops through out the year, and discover that the spirit of a night like last lives on in the shops of Fleet in the form of individual service, quality and great value.”

Kevin Whibley, Chairman, Fleet Business Partnership.

AND HERE'S WHAT YOU MISSED IF YOU DIDN'T GO

MERRY        MERRY	Christmas Lights to be Switched at 6.00pm
	Sleigh Rides with Father Christmas
	Continental Farmers Market
	Baby Reindeer
		The nativity scene will be brought to life with real animals for children to meet and pet from Miller's  Ark
	Choirs Singing Christmas Carols
	Christmas Grotto with Live Owls
	Fairground Rides and Stalls
MERRY	Candy Floss/Popcorn/Sweets/Peanuts
	Refreshments
	Fleet's Popular "Tiny Tots" Roundabout
	Many shops offering special discounts
	Entertainment and Music in the Hart Shopping Centre
	Craft Stalls
	Carousel
	Thomas the Tank Engine with Annie and Clarabel
	Morris Dancing
	Fire Engine
	Face Painting
	Fireworks
	Local Indie Pop Band "Arthur"
	Local Lite Rock Band "The Fins"		click for larger picture
	Paul Weller Tribute Band "Well Alive"		click for larger picture
	Local Lite Rock Band "Big Wednesday"		click for larger picture
	Fairground Organ

All proceeds in aid of charities

Organised by the Fleet Business Partnership