By Community Correspondent Jennifer Pinto

A night of festivities got everyone in the mood for Christmas 2009 at the Wimbledon Winter Wonderland event on Thursday 26th November. The evening was filled with celebrations for all the family, with a series of events running in and around the Centre Court Shopping Centre and up to the Piazza.

The event kicked off with a special Christmas Parade with many special guests such as Father Christmas, Wimbledon AFC, New Wimbledon Theatre, The Build a Bear Workshop, The Christmas Children and Haselmere and Wimbledon Chase Primary Schools. This was followed off by a beautiful and spectacular fireworks display held on the rooftop of the Centre Court Shopping Centre.

The rest of the evening was packed full with live music and dance from the music stage in the Piazza. There were also gift and food stalls filled throughout the Piazza and up to Centre Court and outside Wimbledon train station. Stalls were selling hot food and drink, even toasted marshmallows and chestnuts! Plus, if you had a bit of a sweet tooth, there were delicious hand made biscuits and decorated cupcakes on sale courtesy of Koekie and The Village Cakery, with some food stalls even offering free food tasters! Other stalls were selling Christmas gifts and cards, hand crafted decorations, jewellery, accessories and photography designs. The festival was also giving away free balloons, courtesy of The Polka Theatre, with practically everyone holding onto one!

The event would not be complete without some very special guests to join in the celebrations. Wimbledon was very privileged to have Mr Incredible and The Hulk joining them, and they were handing out small gifts courtesy of The Entertainer. Other guests included Pudsey, who was helping raise money for Children in Need along with the help of the Nandos food stall and the Lion mascot for Wimbledon AFC came along too! The event was a great success along with the help from sponsors including Elys of Wimbledon, Nandos, The Walkabout, Debenhams, Goals Soccer Centre, HMV Curzon and The Polka Theatre.