Diss Christmas lights switch on with ABBA tribute, Father Christmas, a Salvation Army band and mucn more

Diss came alive at the weekend as hundreds of shoppers packed out Market Place to witness the switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights.

Saturday’s festive celebrations featured a fun fair at Mere’s mouth and a Santa’s grotto, as well as lots of food and drink stalls.

Suzanne Kayne, chairman of the Diss Christmas lights committee, said the event had been long in the making and praised those who helped to put it on.

“It was a lovely event with a big crowd, and it was amazing to see it come to fruition, having been planning it all since February,” she told the Diss Express.

“We must have had more than 1,000 people, which makes it our most successful event to date, I would say. We had some great feedback, too.

“Thank you to everyone involved, from the volunteers to the sponsors, the people who set up the stage and those who attended – we couldn’t have done it without them.

“Thank you also to Ben Langley, Father Christmas, the Salvation Army, the United Reformed Church, Park Radio and so many others.”

Part of a packed schedule, community station Park Radio helped to get shoppers into the Christmas spirit with some festive tunes, before live performances from Serena Grant, Joe and Jemma Aiken and Reflections of Abba.

Prior to the big switch-on, Santa waved to the crowds as he travelled along Mere Street in his sleigh.

He then had the honour of flipping the switch, along with Britain’s Got Talent star Mr Langley and the cast of the Corn Hall pantomime, Sleeping Beauty.