BURTON Singers are ready to raise the Burton-in-Kendal Memorial Hall roof on Saturday, December 20 (8pm) with their Let’s Celebrate Christmas concert.

The 25-strong vocal ensemble (pictured) stage an evening of seasonal songs, carols and music from traditional favourites such as Away in a Manger and We wish you a Merry Christmas to modern pop classics like the Fairy tale of New York and Last Christmas. Proceeds from the concert will go towards the North West Air Ambulance and South Lakeland Age UK.

Tickets are available from Burton Village Store For further information about the singers telephone Val Still on 01524-781161.

THIS year's Christmas Tree Festival at St Paul's Parish Church, Grange-over-Sands features 36 trees put up in the parish church by various local groups and societies, with the tree decorations reflecting the character of each society - the Knit and Natter group has knitted their own bunting and baubles. A reception attended by more than 200 people marked the opening of the festival with seasonal music provided by the Bay Community Singers, local young musicians with their teacher, Judith Pool and a choir from Grange Primary School singing a selection of songs from Frozen. The festival runs until January 3.

PLAYERS from the BBC Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras take to the Kendal Leisure Centre stage tonight (Thursday, 7pm) as part of a 25-piece professional ensemble accompanying a screening of the much loved film The Snowman. The Carrot Productions' concert opens with a specially commissioned work introducing all the instruments of the orchestra in a fun and approachable way, followed by a selection of well known movements from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. The Snowman film will then be projected onto a large screen and accompanied by local child soloist, Declan Ryder, singing the timeless Walking In The Air.

Tickets are available on 01539-729777.

FOLLOWING the success of last year’s Christmas exhibition Green Door returns to Kendal’s Castle Dairy with their new Affordable Art exhibition. With more than 200 pieces of work from 40 Green Door members, the exhibition includes paintings, prints, ceramics, glass, wood, jewellery and sculpture, all priced at £75 or less. Included will be gold and silver jewellery from Amanda Hunter, fused glass plaques and vases from Lisa Hunter and mixed media work from Elizabeth Shorrock which uses recycled maps and guide books as a basis for books and wall pieces. Plus - prints and ceramics from Angie Mitchell, Evelyn Sinclair’s painted ‘tea bags’ and Rosie Wates’ theatre boxes. The exhibition open runs until January 31. Castle Dairy is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10am-4pm and from Thursday to Saturday from 10am-4pm and 6pm-10pm.

SANTA has returned to his cottage in an enchanted wood found in the heart of Rheged, near Penrith. Real owls, real trees, fairies and the sound of birds chirping in the trees bring the magic of Christmas to life on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (10am-4pm), Monday and Tuesday, December 22/23 (10am-4pm) and Christmas Eve (10am-2pm). You can really make a day of it, with Disney's Frozen sing-a-along at Rheged's IMAX style screen, pottery painting workshop, and delicious lunch at local celebrity chef Peter Sidwell's Café. Visit www.rheged.com or telephone 01768-868000.

THIS year's Santa Dash at Holme is on Sunday, December 21, starting at 5pm. The dashers should start to gather at the start at Holme Club Car Park from 4pm with the dash started by Santa and Mrs Santa at 5pm. The route will follow Station Road, Green Garth, Oxlands, through Duckett's yard, across Milnthorpe Road onto Mayfield Avenue and Pear Tree Park before turning down North Road to do a loop of Trinity Drive and then through the Square to the finish on the The Smithy Inn Car Park where Santa and Mrs Santa will present all dashers with a medal, a drink and a mince pie.