Winter lights highlight new-look square (From Oxford Mail)

Winter lights highlight new-look square

8:22pm Friday 28th November 2008 in News By Amanda Williams

Bonn Square in the centre of Oxford had a magical reopening tonight.

There was dancing in the street as the city’s Christmas lights and the Winter Light festival powered up to illuminate the square, off Queen Street, after a £1.9m facelift.

Break and hip-hop dancers, Samba drummers and jazz musicians entertained the crowds in the square, while a giant fire mobile, animated with an array of fireworks, provided plenty of heat on a chilly evening.

About 500 people watched as Lord Mayor Susanna Pressel turned on the Christmas lights with a huge ceremonial plunger.

A performance from Les Grooms followed before the group joined fellow performers Wrong Size to lead a lantern procession from the square to Broad Street.

Onlookers were dazzled by a spectacular fireworks performance by pyrotechnicians Walk the Plank.

Then it was back to Bonn Square for a high-energy show from dancers and musicians, among them Flaw R’tists and Street Stage, and samba dancers Sol Samba, while over in Cornmarket Street jive and hip hop dancers kept the crowds entertained.

The Winter Light event also featured many of the city’s cultural attractions, including the Ashmolean Museum and Oxford Playhouse, which are staying open until 10.30pm to mark the launch of the special seasonal festival which runs until Christmas.

Rachel Shaw, from Iffley, was there with her daughter Sophie, three. She said: “The square looks great. They have really made the best of it.

“Tonight has been a great start to the festive season. The bands really livened things up for people too.”

Catherine Willis, had come from Littlemore with her sons Fred, three, and Stan, one.

She said: “The kids have really loved it, especially the music and the snowflake lights.

“We were all having a little dance to the music and the square looks fantastic too, a lot bigger.

“We’re all really in the mood for Christmas now.”

Eleanor Coleville, 13, from Summertown, went along with her friends Rosie Palmer and Joanna McGuire, both from North Oxford.

She said: “Cornmarket looks really Christmassy and we’re looking forward to seeing the performances in the square and the fireworks displays.”

The redevelopment of the square includes columns of light, metal benches cast in bronze and the addition of semi-mature trees.

The start of work on the project in January sparked protests over the felling of trees in the square. Gabriel Chamberlain staged a 12-day sit-in up one of the trees to try to save it.