LIVE reindeer and elves, a hog roast and hot chestnuts are among the temptations in Okehampton tonight, as the town stages its annual Edwardian Evening.

Everyone is invited to join the Mayor of Okehampton Jan Goffey for carol singing outside St James’s Church at 7pm, to a backdrop of the town’s spectacular Christmas lights.

There will also be a chance to meet the team from the Okehampton Times in the Red Lion Yard.

‘I always think of Edwardian Evening as the start of Christmas and I am looking forward to all the shops and everybody in the town joining in this lovely community event,’ said Councillor Goffey.

The mayor’s carols will be given some oomph by the brass section of the Big School Band, from Okehampton College, fresh from their band tour of North America. Okehampton Excelsior Silver Band, meanwhile, will perform outside Martin’s the butchers, who will be serving their famous hog roast.

There will also be music from a barbershop quartet, and a traditional barrel organ, to get everyone in the mood for Christmas shopping, with the town’s shops staying open for the evening.

The reindeer will be meeting shoppers in the Red Lion Yard, which is also the venue for the popular Elf Outpost. Children are invited to meet the elves at this free Christmas event, and write them a letter. Every child writing receives a reply in time for Christmas, and they are also given a little Christmas present of a hat, pencil and stickers.

The Elf Outpost has already been running for the past three Sundays, coinciding with the festive market in the town.

Organiser Rebecca Green, from charity One Okehampton, said the response to the Elf Outpost from children and their families had been ‘amazing’.

‘We have had 84 children write letters in the first week, 86 in the second week and 96 wrote letters on Sunday, and we have had more children coming through because that is just the ones that are old enough to write letters,’ said Rebecca. ‘It has been amazing. It’s staggering how well it has been supported. We are hoping this is the start of a tradition, and that it will carry on each Christmas.’

Edwardian Evening starts at 6pm, with road closures in the town centre from 5.30pm.