ABINGDON, Wallingford and Wantage are all gearing up for their big Christmas illumination switch-ons.

Abingdon girl and GMTV presenter Kate Garraway will be doing the honours tomorrow night at the town’s annual Christmas Extravaganza Evening.

The TV star will join a parade of Scouts, Brownies, dignatories and Father Christmas, which will leave Queen Street at 6.45pm, walking down Stert Street, Lombard Street and High Street before the switch-on by County Hall at 7pm.

Fireworks launched from Abbey Meadows will cap off the evening at 8.15pm, and the shops will stay open until 8.30pm. Parking will be free at all council-run car parks in the town after 4pm.

Town council organiser Steve Rich said more than 1,000 people were expected to fill the town centre. He said: “I’m sure we’re going to get quite a crowd for Kate.

“There has been a lot of excitement from the public, and people phoning me to find out what time she is coming.”

Also tomorrow night, Wallingford is having its first ever Edwardian Christmas Evening, complete with ice rink in St Leonard’s Square, horse and carriage rides, and a letter to Santa workshop where 200 children are expected to make their present requests.

They will get a chance to meet the big man himself in his grotto at the department store Petits.

In a nod to medieval tradition, town mayor Dee Cripps will hang a lady’s glove on the town’s Christmas tree to start festivities.

She will then switch on the Christmas lights in the Market Place at 6pm. Shops will stay open until 8.45pm.

Organiser Elaine Hornsby said: “It is really exciting. It is going to be quite different from previous years. We really wanted to do something new this year.”

Wantage will also host its 20th annual Dickensian Evening on Friday night, with Heart FM DJ Adam Ball turning on the lights at 6pm to kick-start three hours of Victorian fun.

Musical entertainment around the town includes performances from folk band Pandemonium, Wantage Silver Band, Icknield Way Morris Men and the St John Vianney Choir.

The evening also include’s Santa’s arrival on a sleigh with real reindeer in Newbury Street, a Victorian fun fair, pig roast, and Punch and Judy and charity stalls.

There will be restricted parking in the square from 1pm, with the roads closed from 4.15pm.

Council car parks will be free from 4pm, and the two-hour restrictions at Sainsbury’s will be lifted. The disabled can park in Wallingford Street.