This year’s Dundee West End Christmas Fortnight will be the largest ever in its 21 years, with over 30 events taking place, including a Christmas Market and Lights Switch on in Perth Road, a Santa Cavalcade around the West End, competitions including a West End Primary School Art Competition and a Primary 6 schools football competition, a Christmas Cards initiative to all West End care home residents - as well as online talks and walking tours of the West End.
Although we were able to run West End Christmas Fortnight last year, because of the COVID lockdowns in 2020, most of our events had to run online.
This year, we are back to something much more like normal. During the Fortnight that runs from Saturday 27th November until Saturday 11th December, we will hold well over thirty events – the most we have ever run. Big thanks go to all the Christmas Committee members, community groups, churches and everyone else who has made this happen – community spirit is alive and well in the wonderful West End!
10 000 Christmas Fortnight brochures are being distributed across the West End to promote the fortnight’s events which include :
Thursday 2nd December - West End Christmas Market at the Miller’s Wynd car park and community fridge in Perth Road. Browse Christmas gifts and there will be hot food and drink stalls and music and entertainment. There will be a lights switch-on and a visit from Santa, who will be distributing Christmas goody bags to the children. Many West End shops will have late opening and special offers.
Sunday 5th December - “A Community Christmas” – with carols and a ceilidh, including hot chocolate and cake and taking place in the Miller’s Wynd car park.
Tuesday 7th December -Online Christmas Concert and Awards Night. The West End Christmas Concert featuring our two secondary schools at Harris Academy and St John’s RC High School and our four primary schools – St Joseph’s RC PS, Blackness PS, Ancrum Road PS and Victoria Park PS – along with community contributions. We will also be presenting the 2021 West End Business and Community Awards at the event.
Other events include :
Saturday 27th November
Making Dundee Home Soup and Pudding Lunch.
Community Wardrobe Saturdays - Christmas edition.
A West End community Christmas tree outside Sainsbury’s in the Perth Road will be switched on late afternoon.
Sunday 28th November
Dundee Discoveries – past and present - West End walking tour – Matthew Jarron and Amy Cameron from the University of Dundee on a walking tour of Dundee’s West End, exploring the city’s fascinating scientific history.
Monday 29th November
Children’s Crafts – from Blackness Library. During West End Christmas Fortnight, Blackness Library is producing “craft in a bag” for local children to collect from the library. From today, week one’s craft bag is available – a pine cone owl.
Tuesday 30th November
Christmas Family online Storytime with Erin Farley, Dundee Libraries The tale of Meg o' Liff
Wednesday 1st December
West End Carers’ Christmas Arts and Crafts.
Harris Hawks Indoor Hockey - at Harris Academy.
Jean Thomson, The Life and Times of Dundee’s first policewoman - Sarah Aitken, Assistant Archivist, Dundee City Archives
Friday 3rd December
Community Wardrobe - Christmas Edition.
Tea in the Pot – at St Peter’s Free Church.
Christmas Family online Storytime with Erin Farley, Dundee Libraries The Banshee Cat of Blackness.
Saturday 4th December
Drawn - a Guided Tour of the Exhibition – University of Dundee museum curator Matthew Jarron will give an informal guided tour.
Sunday 5th December
Public Art Walking Tour of Dundee's West End - University of Dundee museum curator Matthew Jarron gives an informal guided tour of public art in the West End.
Monday 6th December
Children’s Crafts – from Blackness Library - From today, week two’s craft bag is available – a tiny Christmas tree.
West End Community Sports Hub - online – A chance to learn about all the sports groups in the West End.
Wednesday 8th December
West End Carers’ Christmas Sing along, Christmas nibbles and party games.
Family Scalextric Night – Dundee West Church,
Christmas Family online Storytime with Erin Farley, Dundee Libraries Remembering the Tay Bridge Disaster.
Thursday 9th December
10th Dundee Girls Brigade Chocolate Night - Dundee West Church Lower Hall
Letters to Logie at Christmas – at Blackness Library.
Christmas Wreath making workshop – at Ninewells Community Garden.
Winter Wonderland – an online journey through art in winter – with Laura Leuzzi – From Lifelong Learning Dundee.
Friday 10th December
Community Wardrobe - Christmas Edition.
Christmas Family online Storytime with Erin Farley, Dundee Libraries - Herrings at Hogmanay.
Saturday 11th December
Community Wardrobe – Gate Church.
The West End Christmas Fortnight Primary 6 football competition at Harris Academy.
D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum Open Day - Carnelley Building, off Park Place, University of Dundee.
Santa Cavalcade round the West End – Dundee Round Table. Santa will visit the children of the West End.
Details of all our events can be found here.