SINGING, dancing and light displays popped up around Oxford to launch the festive season over the weekend.

The three-day Christmas Light Festival, featuring a host of community arts groups, was organised by Oxford City Council and East Oxford-based Ian Nolan Events.

Council leader Bob Price, who watched large lantern displays being crafted at the Museum of Natural History and Ashmolean Museum, said: “I was very impressed with the number of people turning up and the quality of the lights produced.

“There has been a wide range of things going on, with an amazing collection of different groups, bands, choirs and activities.”

One of the most popular events was a performance by the Oxford Youth Dance group, called Stardust and Snowflakes, on the Museum of Natural History’s lawn on Saturday evening.

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The 18 dancers, aged between nine and 11, performed a graceful routine that finished with them creating three snowflake shapes using lanterns.

The group is based at the Ark T Centre in Cowley and rehearsed for five weeks.

Assistant choreographer Elly Crowther said: “It was fantastic and they all danced beautifully, coping with the rain really well..”

Caitlin Tambini, 11, from Oxford, said: “It was really fun, if a bit cold. It was an amazing experience.”

Beckley resident Laila Branfort, 10, said: “I didn’t feel nervous and was just excited, because we always have a lot of fun. I really liked that so many people turned up to see us dancing.”

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Lara Hynes and Mads Jesson, both 10, skating at Oxford Ice Rink

Children from six primary schools had created a giant light installation inspired by collections from city museums, which was displayed throughout the weekend outside the Museum of Natural History, including a dinosaur and a phoenix.

Friday afternoon saw a performance of The Princess and the Pea at the Pegasus Theatre in Magdalen Road, and was followed by a Christmas gifts sale and live music by The North Wall Noise Band in The Story Museum’s courtyard.

Outside Oxford Castle and the Ashmolean Museum, about 20 members of dance crew Body Politic performed hip-hop and street dance routines. Dancer Gedi Carios said: “It’s just a great way to spread a bit of Christmas cheer.”

Disco lights flashed at Oxford Ice Rink in Oxpens Road while a DJ performed for skaters on Friday and Saturday. Lara Hynes, 10, said: “I have been skating for many years but this is different to normal with all the lights and music.”

At the Museum of Oxford, in Oxford Town Hall, a large lantern was made at a workshop on Saturday.

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Museum of Oxford employees Rachel McLaughlin, back, left, and Helen Fountain, right, with workshop participant Pam Morris, front, work on a willow lantern

Headington resident Pam Morris, 76, said: “It was very enjoyable and the big lantern looked wonderful. It still needs to be painted – it’s going to be metal like the old-fashioned gas lamps.”

A Day of Song yesterday included almost 30 pop-up performances by choirs at 10 venues. Deborah Stanbury, of Frenchay Road, North Oxford, a member of the Vox-Steady choir, which sang at OVADA, in Osney Lane, said: “We absolutely love getting together and singing. OVADA was a really interesting space to perform in.”

A grand finale was held at Oxford Town Hall, with more than 300 singers from the choirs taking part.

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