The Brewery Quarter in Cheltenham welcomed 26,000 visitors to its Christmas annual launch party on Saturday.

With thousands of families looking for a dose of festive entertainment and community spirit, this was a 26% increase on typical Saturdays this year.

Local community groups, including Lakeside Primary School Young Voices and the Love Cheltenham choir, performed festive carols whilst Variations Academy and CoadyCrew added a lively touch with their dance routines.

There was live music from Rives, Crispin, and the Mark Walby Band, alongside appearances from the Little Dreamers Princesses.

And, of course, Santa himself made several star-studded appearances on stage, spreading holiday cheer - and even snow - alongside the charismatic host Nick Marshall.

Attendees had the chance to interact with roaming characters like Paw Patrol, Trolls, Gloucestershire Troopers, circus performer Thomas Trilby, and Disney style princesses, adding a colourful and immersive dimension to the event.

Marketing manager Demelsa Coleman said: "With 26,000 visitors that day, it was great to see so many people enjoying the variety show. This year we were delighted to support Emily's Gift, and a charity raffle thanks to generous prizes from our venues, plus a donation for the Gloucestershire Troopers raised £800 for this very worthy cause."

The Brewery Quarter's Christmas Launch Party was the start of a series of festive events - with Santa returning to meet children at several different Brewery venues on 2, 9, 16 and 17 December. 

For more information visit www.thebreweryquarter.com