1st December 2017 - St Sebastian Wokingham Band at Wokingham Town Hall

We were in the warm of the Town Hall on the 1st, with mulled wine and gingerbread men while watching a rousing performance by St Sebastian Wokingham Band. Playing some Christmas classics including Ding Dong merrily, Good King Wenceslas and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer we had a full house singing along. Please enjoy the video below courtesy of Silk Purse video.



We will be sharing photos, videos and live feeds on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/wokinghamadvent so please do check there for the most up to date content.

1st December 2016 - Platform YP at Wokingham Town Hall

Wokingham Living Advent Calendar is back!

We were treated last night to some very talented young professionals in the form of Platform YP a local performing arts school working with students aged 3-18.

They gave a spirited rendition of a number of songs from their repertoire including starting with a classic in the form of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". Other songs including "At the Beginning" from 90's animated musical Anastasia.

Do enjoy the video below.



The 100 strong crowd enjoyed some Christmassy chocolate biscuits courtesy of Wokingham Town Hall and Town Mayor Cllr Gwynneth Hewetson opened the performance.



Tonight the performance is at Martin & Co Estate Agents on Peach Street in the renovated Corn Chandlers and will be "Lyrica" who comprises the versatile Kevin on guitar and backing vocals. Debbie on soulful cello and Gillie on vocals and percussion. The music varies from smooth and lyrical to upbeat, playful and even raunchy:-) Country/Classical meets Tina…with just a hint of Christmas.

3rd December - Dressing the Christmas Tree

We were in for an extra-long treat yesterday evening with the annual Dressing the Christmas Tree.

Dressing the Christmas Tree traditionally occurs in the week after the Wokingham Winter Carnival, where decorations made by local school children join the lights on the large tree in the Market Place. This year this date also coincided with the Wokingham Living Advent Calendar, so it made sense to join the two. 

This year we saw 11 local schools take part producing a varied range of decorations, from laminated paper creations to recycled and repurposed containers made to a Christmas theme to more complex wooden shapes by the secondary schools, all brightly coloured and always inventive. 

In between the decorations being presented to the Mayor, Cllr Martin Bishop, and Mini Mayor, Joe, Wokingham Choral Society led us in a series of traditional carols, including Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night and finishing off with Jingle Bells. 

There was a great spirit to the at least 300 strong crowd, all singing along with gusto, braving the cold weather for around 45 minutes.  The cold staved off by warming drinks supplied by Just Around the Corner, a local young persons charity, and free gingerbread men and mince pies supplied by Tesco’s Waitrose and Morrisons. 

Tonight join us at Marks and Spencer for a very different performance.

1st December 2014 - Danny and his Dancers

We had a fantastic fun filled evening last night at the opening performance of the Wokingham Living Advent Calendar. 

Wokingham Town Hall, all decked out in Christmas decorations fresh from Sundays Wokingham Winter Carnival, was the setting for Danny Mountain and his Dancers.

In the 30 minute set, we had a bumper collection of songs featuring Suspicious Minds, I Heard it Through the Grapevine, Twistin’ the Night Away and Crocodile Rock.

Danny is a great showman, interacting with the crowd and initiating what is probably the earliest conga line for the Living Advent Calendar yet, during his final song “Merry Christmas Everyone”.

A quick message from Danny and the girls,

“Mountain Entertainment are excited to be taking part in 2014’s Wokingham Living Advent Calendar and thank you for coming along to support this performance, as well as supporting them throughout the year. “ 

Tonight join us at 6pm at TG Art Gallery for another great performance. TG are putting on mulled wine for the audience and if you are thinking about an artwork for Christmas this is the time to do it, they are offering a 10% discount on sales made tonight.

1st December 2013 - County School of Dancing at Wokingham Town Hall

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

It seemed fitting to start with this line from "Twas the night before Christmas", last night was the 1st of this the second year of Wokingham Living Advent Calendar and it was certainly a good night.

The Town was bedecked with decorations and the Town Hall made a fitting backdrop for our event. The evening started with a wonderful welcome by Town Mayor, Cllr Martin Bishop, and Father Christmas appeared on the balcony to introduce the performers. Mince pies and shortbread biscuits were quickly eaten by a crowd of at least 150 all keen to see what this first night would bring.

Couples from The County School of Dancing, based in Reading, performed a waltz and a cha-cha-cha and then encouraged the assembled audience to learn a few simple cha-cha-cha moves.

“Tonight we are going to be entertained by Strictly Fun , 4 dancing couples from the County School of Dance.  They will give us a demonstration of the Waltz and Cha-cha-cha.  Then it will be your turn!  Instructors, Trudi & Hayley will guide you through your paces in the Cha-cha-cha.” www.countyschoolofdancing.co.uk

After the very impressive audience dance we had a very special small green guest. Kermit the Frog joined us to welcome in this years Living Advent and read “Twas the night before Christmas”, although he needed a little help from us and his assistant to remember the words. But maybe he was just a little jet lagged from his trip over the pond.

But take a look at the video and photos below for a taste of the event.





Many thanks in advance for everyone who helped and will help to put on this event. If the first night is anything to go on it will be a fantastic advent period.

Tonight we will be at Wokingham Library, where there will be a free mince pie with every hot drink ordered at the café and a suitably literary performance.

December 23rd 2012 - Live Nativity on Elms Field

Elms Field was packed last night with parents and children eagerly awaiting a recreation of the first Christmas complete with a donkey for the Virgin Mother and sheep for the shepherds.

Happily the rain held off and JAC helped warm the crowd by serving hot drinks. As well as the actors there was a choir and musicians leading carols throughout the performance.

In case you missed it or in case you'd like to experience it all other again there are a couple of clips below from the Live Nativity.

A welcoming speech by Cllr Dale Green and Rev Mark Huddlestone along with the entrance of Mary and Joseph to the inn and the first carol.

The meeting of the wise men and the baby Jesus

Can you see yourselves in this one?

 
Final speeches and carol

A wonderful time was had by all, please join me in thanking the Church at the White House School for putting it on in such style along with some help from very familiar faces.

The local Gamesmakers from this years Olympic Games were on hand collecting for our four charities.

We hope that you can join us tonight at All Saints Church at the normal time of 6:15pm for the finale. Don't worry about the rain, we will be inside for the performance.

Video: December 1st 2012 – GK at the Town Hall

For all of you who were there and for those who weren't (where were you!) here is a clip from the video taken at the opening night of the Wokingham Living Advent Calendar.

GK performing their version of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love"

December 1st 2012 – GK at the Town Hall

GK aka Gillie and Kevin are a theatrical musical duo, comprising vocals, acoustic guitar and percussion. Their genre is wide ranging from semi-classical through to rock. They are available for weddings, bar mitzvahs and Grand Openings! 

And what a Grand Opening it was!

Starting us off in a spectacular fashion Gillie appeared on the balcony of the Town Hall with a multi lingual and musical welcome then came down to street level to her partner Kevin on guitar.

Gillie and Kevin serenaded the crowd to the tune of some well known songs including a cover of Make you Feel my Love by Bob Dylan, but it was their cover of Proud Mary that really got the crowd dancing, which was needed in last nights freezing conditions.

Finishing off in style was a classic rendition of Silent Night and a rousing chorus of We Wish You a Merry Christmas which the crowd joined in with, a fitting end to the 1^st of December and the first day of advent.

Don't forget to open up the calendar to see where tonight's performance is and we hope to see you there.

I will leave you with a hint for tonight's performance: Well known Wokingham based performance group with a name that soars in the atmosphere.

December 1st 2012 – Wokingham Town Hall

To open the Living Advent Calendar where else would we start but the centre of town.

Wokingham Town Hall is a 19^th Century Grade 2* listed building. The current building replaced the previous Guildhall that was built in the 17^th Century and reached a state of such dilapidation that it was decided to build anew.

Previously used as a Courthouse, police station, small covered market and a savings bank it now houses the offices of the Town Council, an Information Centre (recently modernised), a restaurant and holds a variety of events throughout the year, both by the Town Council and by external bodies who hire the space.

The Main Hall, Council Chamber and Annexe are available for hire to external organisations and the Main Hall is also used to host weddings and civil partnerships.
For more information: www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk

On the 1^st expect a grand start, we can reveal that the Town Mayor will open the event but you’ll have to come and see to find out who the act is going to be.

If you have Twitter you can follow the Town Council at @wokingham_tc where you will find other snippets of information including hints about the mystery performers.

Wokingham Town Hall in the snow from 2009

Where is the Living Advent Calendar going to be?

We can reveal that the first 7 venues will be:

1^st - Wokingham Town Hall (Market Place)
2^nd – More Arts (43b Peach Street)

3^rd - Wokingham Décor (56 Peach Street)

4^th - The Local Barber Shop (Montague House, 31 Broad Street)

5^th - The Electric Tattoo Company (Montague House, 31 Broad Street)

6^th - Rococo (9 Bush Walk, Market Place)

7^th - Oslar Coffee (2-2a Denmark Street)

Remember all events start at 6:15pm and are 15 minutes in duration (unless stated otherwise).

Come and see what fabulous local talent we have found to liven up these dark December evenings!

A full list of venues will be available soon both online, on posters through the town and flyers. You can also visit our new and improved Information Centre from Monday the 26^th November for more information on Wokingham’s Living Advent Calendar and other events happening throughout the Town.

Also:

The Living Advent Calendar is featured in today’s edition of the Wokingham Times on page 10.