UKs Biggest Christmas Tree Festival Underway In Desborough

Fri, 25 Nov 2011

A Christmas Tree Festival got underway today in the small village of Desborough in Northamptonshire, giving locals the chance to get into the festive spirit by creating their own unique tree.

The festival, which opened today and will run until Sunday, is believed to be the largest of its kind in the country.

Event organiser Alan Window said he has researched the size of similar fairs and thinks with 111 different entries, the Desborough show has eclipsed all others.

Mr Window said: "From doing a Google search I know Fakenham is a big one but they don’t have as many trees as us."

"Unfortunately there’s no organisation that looks at things like this and no entry in the Guinness Book of Records."

"Wednesday night was our deadline and we’ve got 111 entries – people have been hugely creative."

Entries for the Desborough Christmas Tree Festival have poured in, with people creating everything from a tree inside a tardis to a mechanical tree riding a bicycle.

Mr Window continued: "We’ve got an entry from the Charter for European Rural Communities and 60 delegates from all over Europe are coming with their tree ."

"This is our 13th year and I’ve been involved in organising it every year."

"It started because I’d always wanted to do a special tree but my wife wouldn’t let me have it in the house. It was a completely bare tree with a single bullet hanging on it – I called it ‘A Cartridge in a Bare Tree’."

Tickets for the Xmas festival cost £2 although entry is free for children under the age of 16 who are accompanied by an adult.