PLANS have been unveiled for what it is claimed can become a ‘game changer’ for Tenbury.

The programme for the Mistletoe Festival has been published with the organiser claiming that the event is set to become the biggest event in the town’s calendar.

Caroline Palethorpe, who is heading the team of organisers, believes that the Mistletoe Festival has the potential to do for Tenbury what the annual Food Festival has done for Ludlow.

“The Mistletoe Festival is the jewel in the crown for Tenbury,” she said.

“It is special because it is unique and is our own.

“While there are many other places that have food festivals and other similar events no one else has a Mistletoe Festival.

“Tenbury is the national capital of mistletoe and there is huge potential for the town to make it something that has both national and international appeal.

“We are already attracting visitors and performers from all over the country and people are coming to the festival from throughout the UK.”

She said that last year there was even a visitor who had made the journey all the way from the Isle of Sky.

Tenbury has been a centre for mistletoe for many years with buyers from all over the country and abroad coming to the town for the annual sales that take place in the final week in November and the first two weeks in December each year.

But it was only in 2004 that the first festival was staged and Caroline Palethorpe took over leadership of the project in 2011.

The event will reach its climax with a day of activities on Saturday, December 1 that will include markets at different locations in the town, street theatre and other activities.

Druids will make their annual visit to Tenbury and the day will culminate with the crowning of the Mistletoe Queen – traditionally the head girl from the Tenbury High School.

This will take place at just after 4pm on the first Saturday in December as the sun sets. This is just three weeks before the winter Solstice and the fact that it is near the shortest day of the year adds to the atmosphere.

The various markets during the day will involve more than 40 craft and produce stalls. In the evening there will be a special ‘Under the Mistletoe’ event between 8pm and 10pm in the Kings Head that will include local people telling their own stories.

But the final day will just bring to the end two weeks of activities that start on Saturday, November 19 with the big switch-on for the Tenbury Chamber of Trade Christmas Lights.

This will include road closures and is a major change from previous years when the turning on of the Christmas lights has been a Friday evening event.

The Mistletoe sales will be held at the Burford House Garden store on Tuesday, November 29 and on Tuesday, December 6 and Tuesday, December 13.

With plans to promote the festival well beyond Tenbury and the Teme Valley it is hoped that it will bring visitors to the town from the West Midlands and the Marches as well as other parts of the country.