The Rye Christmas Festival started on Saturday 4th December 2010.
Events in towns nearby were being cancelled, but we decided to carry on.
It had snowed and rained for weeks already, and it was bitterly cold. Small events had gone on throughout the day, with the highlight being Captain Jack lookalike, who did a marvellous job entertaining those who had braved the weather.
The Lighting Up of the Tree at The George in Rye looked like there would be no-one there, but with minutes to go, several hundred came out of nowhere.
The Mayor gave a warming speech announcing the start of the Christmas Festivities in Rye. Captain Jack entertained the crowd, giving us a hint of the Caribbean. After three beautifully staged attempts the lights came on.
The crowd then moved down to Hilders Cliff to see the fantastic fireworks put on by the Bonfire Boys – well done guys.
Christmas had started.
There was no formal meeting in December.
Instead a very successful evening was held in the Ypres Inn – thanks to Ian and his staff for a vey enjoyable evening and a cracking start to the Christmas festivities.
A return to the normal agenda this month, with the following items raised:
- Rye Marketing Group Open Day – Tuesday 22 November 2010 – Chamber to host one stall
- Rye Bay Scallop week announced 12th to 20th February 2011
- new government intiatives under LEP were being announced
- Rye Guide had successfully been launched
- new Visit Rye website was being launched
- Christmas Festival plans now finalised and last minute funding support had been successfully achieved from Tesco and Sainsburys ensures that all planned festivities and lights will go ahead
- Radio Scheme successfully relaunched
- News of the new Pub Watch scheme also announced
- Cardboard Recycling is very successful, but people are now operating outside the agreed parameters – agreed that participants would be reminded of the rules
- Initiatives for 2011 announced