THE team behind the huge summer success that was the Festival in the Gardens are back with a Christmas version of the hugely popular event.

Christmas in the Gardens will take place over the weekend of December 8 and 9 with the very best of Essex food, drink, craft and music.

The festive fun will be held in the Braintree and Bocking Public Gardens and is the brainchild of Festoon Events, run by Jessica Meadows and Rachel McMillan.

Mrs McMillan, who also owns the Cool Beans coffee shops, said: “The feedback we had from our festival in the summer was incredible.

“It was a real occasion for the town, and afterwards, so many people were asking if we were going to do another that we thought we would be crazy not to try and put on a Christmas event.

“We wanted to bring a touch of Winter Wonderland to our little town.

“After my involvement in establishing the monthly street markets, it seems there is a real hunger for good quality events selling decent food and drink.”

It will be focussed around a large, festive marquee so the show will be able to go ahead come rain or shine.

There will be a few areas of interest around the gardens, including a grotto for the children to visit and plenty of traders.

The team also have lots of entertainment planned for the weekend with announcements of the acts playing, as well as other traders and exhibitors, set to revealed online over the coming weeks.

Mrs Meadows said: “We aim to cater for all ages and tastes.

“We have live music running the whole weekend, including the Bocking Concert Brass band and skits by the local pantomime troupe.

“We also have some classic fairground rides lined up, courtesy of Ellis Amusements who run the popular inflatable days in the gardens during the summer.

“Our lineup of bands really made the summer festival special, so we’ve been sure to book some crowd pleasers again this time.”

Tickets are available at festooneventsltd.co.uk or from Cool Beans on Bank Street and in the Public Gardens.

Advance tickets are at a reduced rate but tickets are on the gate too.