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The City Council is presenting the people of Birmingham with one of the biggest packages of family-friendly Christmas events in the UK. The extensive programme of events is being organised and substantially funded by the council with the support of commercial sponsors.

Says Councillor Ray Hassall, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture, "For me Christmas is all about little children and the look on their faces when they experience something magical for the first time. The council is giving the children of Birmingham a very special Christmas this year and one they'll remember for years to come."

He continues, “The traditional activities at the council’s museums will complement our exciting programme of outdoor events and attractions, especially the nativity art trail at the Museum and Art Gallery which will help us to remember what Christmas is really about.”

The council will be serving up a free concert to celebrate switching on the Christmas lights, a city centre grotto where thousands of children will visit Father Christmas, the traditional Frankfurt Christmas market, plus crafts and farmers markets, a canal boat light parade, a pantomime horse race and an outdoor ice rink. New for this year will be the illumination of the splendid Victorian interior of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery together with carols around a beautifully decorated tree and a nativity art trail around the galleries. This year sees the return of the popular Aston Hall by Candlelight and there are also special events taking place at Blakesley Hall and Soho House museums and the Nature Centre.

Birmingham's spectacular Christmas programme starts on Saturday 11 November with The Pallasades Christmas Lights Switch On which will include a fantastic free concert at Millennium Point to celebrate the city centre's Christmas lights being switched on.

Father Christmas will be "coming to town" on 2nd December and staying until Christmas Eve. Children can visit him at the bmi Baby Santa’s Christmas Grotto at Bullring which will be surrounded by hundreds of Christmas trees festooned with twinkling lights. An all-improved T-Mobile Street Ice outdoor rink returns to Centenary Square on 18 November and runs until early January.

The popular Frankfurt Christmas Market will return to Victoria Square (16 November – 23 December) with German traders selling jewellery handmade toys, candles, glasswork, traditional Christmas decorations hot food and drink and there will be a Birmingham craft fair showcasing locally-produced goods in Chamberlain Square and weekly farmer's markets in upper new street during December.

Special events include the Thomas Vale Pantomime Grand National on 3 December on a new course around Victoria Square and the Broad Street Canal Boat Light Parade on 10 December will see a flotilla of illuminated canal boats make their way along Birmingham’s canals from the National Indoor Arena to the Mailbox.

Aston Hall by Candlelight (2 – 9 December), will recreate the spirit of a 17 Century Christmas as one of the countries finest Jacobean houses is transformed with hundreds of candles, live performances of period music, actors and sword fighters as well as a craft fair and traditional refreshments.  The Museum and Art Gallery will be hosting a Victorian Christmas weekend (16-17 December) and there will be a Tudor Christmas at Blakesley Hall (15 December) and a Georgian Christmas at Soho House (17 December).

Father Christmas will also be putting in an appearance at the Nature Centre during weekends in December and there will be seasonal events in parks across the city.

For New Year’s Eve revellers who happen to be in the city centre at midnight on 31 December there will be a canopy of fireworks overhead to welcome in 2007.

More information is available by calling 0121 202 5066 or by visiting www.birmingham.gov.uk, specific details about Christmas events and activities will be released in the coming weeks.