MK lights switch-on tomorrow

It's a debut event for Milton Keynes this year- the first ever Milton Keynes official Christmas lights switch-on is happening tomorrow, with a whole day jam-packed with Christmas themed activities and events. You'll be kept entertained right through to the lights switch on at 5pm, and should leave well and truly excited for Christmas!

The festivities are set to commence at 11am, with acts and competitions on the stage located at the horseshoe area outside intu Milton Keynes. Meanwhile, inside intu Milton Keynes there will be a variety of activities and workshops running all day, including a place to write letters to Santa, thanks to Milton Keynes Theatre and Gulliver's land.

At 3pm you can see the Xscape lights switched on, best seen from inside Xscape from the centre mall near the escalators, or there'll be a live link on the TV at the main stage.

There will be a parade from 4pm, with over 30 mascots which will arrive at the stage at around 4.30pm for the final performances before the lights are switched on. At 4.30pm there will be a performance from MK theatre Peter Pan, followed by Yinka Williams, star of BBC's 'The Voice', a performance from Dancebox studios and the the grand countdown kicks off at 5pm, with Peter Pan, Wendy, Father Christmas and the Mayor of Milton Keynes; Derek Eastman. The lights will switch on in a wave from the train statin to intu Milton Keynes, followed by a stunning laser and pyrotechnic show.

Once the lights are on there'll be a chance to get festive with a bit of a sing-along with Alive and Singing rock and pop choir.

All in all it's set to be a great festive day, with fun for all the family. You'll be able to pick up a goody bag which includes a free pass to Gulliver's Land and their Splashzone. Don't miss the chance of being at this event- the first ever for Milton Keynes!

What have MK Dons brought to the city?

MK Dons (Milton Keynes Football Club) has been based at Stadium:mk in Milton Keynes since 2007, when it was opened by the Queen. The stadium cost around £50 million to build, money which has arguably been well-spent, but do you agree?

It is a great quality standard and hosts superior facilities, with a modern look and a lot of glass on view. The recent installation of seating in the previously unused upper tier has made more use of the space and fits even more people in, although whether this amount of seating is needed is debatable, as there has yet to be a sell-out match. With a capacity of 30,500 seated, and an average attendance of 8,612 it is often looking more empty than full. Being used for the rugby world cup next year may see the stadium a bit more full, but whether it will remain empty once that is out the way who knows.

The surrounding area of Milton Keynes has grown up around the stadium, and it would seem that the stadium has attracted other retail businesses to it. A new retail centre is currently being built nearby, with restaurants and an IMAX cinema, saving visitors to the stadium from having to travel too far for a meal before or after the match, possibly encouraging them to make a day of their visit rather than just watching the football. It looks like we could be seeing yet more uses for the stadium soon, with gigs rumoured to be coming to the arena soon in the future.