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This Christmas, the town of Ashton is the focus for the borough of Tameside’s festive celebrations, and to bring some serious sparkle and creative celebration to the town, a special Festive Window Trail will launch this weekend.

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Designed to bring Christmas cheer to all, support independent businesses after a challenging few years - and shine a light on the creativity in Ashton throughout the season - the Festive Window Trail pairs 12 local businesses with talented artists and makers to create a stunning walking trail through the town centre.

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The artists and business owners have worked together and truly collaborated to create festive window display ideas, channelling the creativity, imagination and talent of the artists to bring them to life for the trail and captivate passers-by with beautiful works of art.

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Businesses taking part in the Festive Window Trail are; Rouge Fabrics, Cameron’s Tea Rooms, Decisions Women’s Designerwear, Sincerely Yours, Mosaic Cafe & Deli, Ava Beauty, Grade A Jewellery, New Shu and The Petman. The windows of Ashton Library, Tameside Archives and Local Studies and Phantasmagoria will also be part of the stunning festive trail.

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Artists and creatives that have been paired up with the businesses and venues include Playground Design (Carma Mason), Claire Louise Mather, Gordon Banks, Helen Dodsworth, Sarah Blackwell, Annette Cobley, Katie Mason, Ruth at Scruffy Dogs Creations, David Armes & Gemma Lacey and the Phantasmagoria team.

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To encourage the people of Tameside to take part, a special map has been commissioned and created by Andrea Joseph. It will be available to view download from InTameside.co.uk, and copies can also be picked up at all of the businesses involved in the trail, Ashton Library and Ashton Market Post Office.

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The windows will be transformed using a variety of creative mediums, from crocheted stars, models of festive wonderlands and giant baubles to interstellar star constellations, hand-drawn local scenes, glittery snowflakes, cat-angels and text-scroll artworks. The sensational art trail will be a real treat for families who are looking for festive activities over the Christmas season.

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To add further creative sparkle to Tameside’s festive celebrations, local school children have been designing and making beautiful decorations that will adorn the Christmas tree in Ashton town centre. Schools taking part are; Canon Johnson CofE Primary School (Year 2), Holden Clough Community Primary School (​​Year 3 - 3DL and 3LD), Hurst Knoll St James’ CofE Primary School (Year 3 & 4), Oasis Academy Broadoak 1LW (Year 1W), Parochial CofE Primary and Nursery School (Reception and Year 3) and St Christopher’s RC Primary and Nursery School (Year 4 & 6). The star at the top of the tree is being designed and made by Chris from No Eyed Theatre.

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The Festive Window Trail will launch officially as part of the Northern Lights Tameside Christmas Celebrations, Lantern Parade and lights switch on, on Saturday (19th November) in Ashton Town Centre.

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Tameside Council Assistant Executive Member Culture, Heritage & Digital Inclusivity, Cllr Sangita Patel said: “It’s fantastic to see the local community, businesses and artists coming together to make this Christmas extra special in Ashton. The window trail will bring that added sparkle to the retailers in town as well as providing a great fun and free activity trail for families to explore shops they may not have discovered before and shop locally. It’s going to be an exciting weekend with the fabulous Northern Lights Lantern Parade kick starting the festivities this Saturday”.

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Follow InTameside on Instagram and Facebook to see the advent unfold as we shine a spotlight on one artist-business collaboration for 12 days following the launch.

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The trail will run until 6th of January 2023.  Keep up to date here - https://www.intameside.co.uk/whats-on/festive-window-trail

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