A winter wonderland

Nottingham was transformed into a real winter wonderland on Wednesday 19th November. The city was brought to life by thousands of twinkling bulbs with the official ‘switch on’ of the city lights and the 60ft tall Christmas tree. The official count down to the big switch on took place in the city’s Old Market Square with Trent FM’s breakfast crew Twiggy and Emma, the Lord Mayor and the Sheriff of Nottingham and special guest, Nottingham ’s own Olympic gold medallist Dr Tim Brabants.

Get your skates on this Christmas

This Christmas you can skate again in Nottingham's Old Market Square. For a second year the National Ice Centre has installed a 20m by 40m rink in the heart of the city, with new sponsor the Victoria Centre. The ice rink will be open for seven weeks until Sunday 11th January 2009. 45 minute sessions can be booked in advance on 0844 412 4639 and adult tickets are priced at £8. Go to www. national- icecentre.com for more.

Go continental

Pick up traditional food and crafts then enjoy a glass of Glühwein at the German market in and around the Old Market Square in the run up to Christmas. Between 19 November and 21 December the market will be open Monday to Saturday 10am-8pm and Sunday 10am-6pm. Christmas cakes and cookies, smoked sausages, traditional wooden toys, nutcrackers, lanterns, waffles, candied fruit, jewellery, glass and lots more.

Three nights, three car parks, free parking!

Nottingham City Council is providing free parking at three car parks on three late shopping nights this Christmas, to help cut the cost of enjoying the festive season. The Council’s three multi-storey car parks – at Trinity Square, Broadmarsh and Fletchergate – will be free after 5pm on December 3rd, 10th and 17th. That’s over 1200 spaces available to Christmas shoppers free of charge each night. Onstreet parking in the city is free after 6pm.

Christmas Harare Appeal

Nottingham is supporting the Mayor of Harare ’s Christmas Cheer Fund this year to help raise money to help underprivileged people living in Harare access vital health and medical services. Harare has been Nottingham ’s twin city since 1981 and Nottingham ’s Lord Mayor Councillor Gulwaz Khan will be donating money to the stricken Zimbabwe capital. Even a small donation can go a very long way. Please make cheques payable to The Lord Mayor’s Charity (Harare) and send to The Council House, Old Market Square, Nottingham, NG1 2DT.

And far from finally…

BBC Radio Nottingham's Big Night Out is back on Wednesday 3rd December, celebrating the range of activities the city has to offer after dark with lots of special deals at restaurants and other venues (and benefiting from free parking, as above) - see www.gotonottingham.co.uk/first-wednesdayinformation.html