The festive season officially began at Milestones Museum last week with a visit from the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane.
The Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Councillor Paul Miller, accompanied by Mayoress, Sandra Miller, cut the ribbon to officially open Milestones Museum’s annual Christmas Market on Saturday 3 December. Accompanied by Nick Suffolk, Head of Cultural Experience at Milestones, which is managed by Hampshire Cultural Trust, the Mayor and Mayoress took a tour of the museum’s Christmas Market, meeting members of the Milestones team and stallholders along the way. They also enjoyed some of the permanent exhibits at Milestones, including the Little Giant steam engine, fire station and Mr Simpson’s Teddy Bear Museum.
At the Christmas Market, local makers and artisans were out in force, with more than 50 stalls for visitors to browse, selling everything festive from glass baubles to jewellery, candles and even make-your-own gingerbread house kits. There was also a stall from Hampshire Cultural Trust’s newest visitor attraction, 878 AD, an opportunity to meet Father Christmas and his elf, a ukulele player entertaining the entrance queue and a number of festive performances from local choirs around the Milestones bandstand. A number of stalls were manned by local charities, including Fostering Hampshire Children, who were able to spread awareness of their good work over the weekend.
The market was just the beginning of this year’s festivities at Basingstoke’s living history museum, which is open daily (apart from Monday 12 December) in the lead-up to Christmas. Visiting families will experience a Christmas to remember this year at Milestones, where the museum’s period streets are decorated for the season and a giant Christmas tree gives visitors a warm, festive welcome. Children can help Father Christmas find his lost reindeer with a special Reindeer Spotter trail around the museum, while the smell of mulled wine and the taste of mince pies will transport adults into the atmosphere of a perfect Christmas.
On Friday 23 December, families can meet real, live reindeer outside the museum and wish them luck for their annual trip around the world with Father Christmas.
From Sunday 27 to Thursday 31 December, Milestones will host a magical Twixmas, with a free festive New Year trail included in admission and the opportunity to see street magic at the museum every day from 11:30 – 3:30.
For more information about Christmas at Milestones, please visit https://www.milestonesmuseum.org.uk/events.