Families in Wymondham and Attleborough will be able to kick-start their Christmas cheer by attending the towns' two festive lights switch-on spectaculars.

This year, Wymondham's popular evening of festivities will return under a new name of Wymondham Christmas Fayre.

For more than 20 years Wymondham Lions Club has organised the town's festive lights switch-on known as Dickensian Evening where residents are invited to dress in their best Victorian costumes.

But Daniel Cox, of Wymondham Lions, said: 'We have tried for many years to encourage people to dress up in Dickensian costume but we have to follow the fashions. People don't want to go out in a top hats and tails so we have changed the name to reflect that.'

He added: 'It's always a fantastic, fun-filled family night out and hopefully everyone in the town and the surrounding area will come along to support it.'

The Christmas Fayre will be held in the town centre on December 1.

The festivities will kick off at 6pm with the grand arrival of Father Christmas and Wymondham Town Mayor Neil Ward on a traditional horse drawn carriage at the Market Cross. They will be led by the City of Norwich Pipe Band. This will be followed by the town's Christmas lights switch-on.

But the entertainment will continue throughout the evening with children's fun fair rides and a collection of charity and trade stalls to browse.

Father Christmas will be greeting youngsters in his grotto in Wharton's Court where a ladies barbershop quartet will also be performing. Meanwhile families can also meet some of his famous reindeer in Fairland Street.

Wymondham Arts Centre, in Church Street, will be hosting an evening of music and crafts, while Wymondham Library, in Back Lane, will also be opening late.

Meanwhile Attleborough will be celebrating the beckoning festive season with its annual Christmas Carnival on Sunday, November 27.

Karen Pettitt, of the organising committee, said: 'Please come along and enjoy youself and support this event. We have treid very hard to have something for everyone and this year we have pulled out all the stops to try to make this happen.'

Families will gather at 2pm when Father Christmas and his reindeer will arrive at his grotto on Queen's Square carrying a bag filled full of presents for the visiting boys and girls.

Actor Martin Ballantyne, who has in blockbuster films such as The Dark Knight and The Golden Compass, will be signing autographs and members of the Norwich Time Travellers will be displaying their own memorabilia including a few scary Daleks.

Larry Gary will be providing children's fun fair rides, while visitors will be also able to browse more than 60 craft and charity stalls spread across the Town Hall, the sports centre, the church hall and the Connaught Hall - with the latter hosting a special mind, body and soul extravaganza.

The Eastern Transport Collection will once again be on hand with its vintage bus to take people between the venues.

Children from Morley Primary School Choir and the Poringland Singers will singing carols around the Christmas tree from 3.45pm before the switch-on of the lights at 4.15pm. Rev Matthew Jackosn will bless the tree before heading to St Mary's Church for Carole Oke to which everyone is welcome.