THE ANNUAL Taunton Christmas Festival is this Sunday (November 20).

Thousands of spectators are expected to see live music, the reindeer pen and pony rides, street markets and trade stands.

A grand finale will take place outside the Market House from 5pm, and will include Santa Claus on stage, a Cirque Bijou Finale performance and fireworks.

Graham Love, Taunton Town Centre manager, hopes that the festival will ‘kick-start the festive season’.

“I do hope that the event activities will not greatly inconvenience businesses and will serve to support trade in the remaining period leading up to Christmas," he said.

The festival gets underway from 10.30am.

Large areas of the town centre will be closed to traffic from 6am-9pm in order for the event to take place.

The switch-on finale begins at 5.30pm.

*Roads that will be closed are: The Bridge at the junction of Wood Street, Corporation Street at the junction of Castle Way, East Street at East Gate and the junction with Hurdle Way, and Hammet Street at the junction with Church Square.

There's a full run-down of the events, in this week's County Gazette - out now!