Cheltenham town centre is gearing up for its first big event of the year, Light Up Cheltenham run by Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID). The event will run from Saturday 1 February to Sunday 23 February with thousands of visitors expected to enjoy the dramatic illuminations throughout the town.

The launch this Saturday will see crowds of onlookers enjoy the spectacle of Spark!, a street theatre drumming group who will begin their incredible performance at 5.15pm at The Brewery Quarter and will then parade to Boots Corner and down the Promenade eventually finishing at Imperial Gardens at 6.15pm.

The observation wheel in Imperial Gardens will be open every day from this Saturday (opening times Monday – Thursday 3pm – 9pm, Friday 3pm – 10pm, Saturday 11am – 10pm and Sunday 12pm – 9pm). These hours will be extended during February half-term giving families the chance to take a ride on the wheel from 12pm on weekdays. Find out more about the Observation Wheel here

This year’s event will also be the first time a guided tour will be available for visitors. Running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 23 February plus running on Thursday 20 February for the half term holiday, the guided tours will give visitors an opportunity to learn more about the incredible landmark buildings involved in the event, the stories they hold and the people who passed through them.

Tickets are £12 per person and can be bought online or from the Tourist Information Centre. The tours will last an hour and a half and will start at 7pm on Fridays and 5.30pm on Saturdays and Sunday (except for Saturday 1 February when they will begin at 7pm). The tours will start at the Queens Hotel and children under five can go for free. For more information, to find out times for the tours and to book, please go to visitcheltenham.com.

For visitors looking to create their own tour, a map guide of the buildings involved in the event will be available at a variety of shops in the town centre including Waterstones, Argos and Farmhouse Deli, it is also available at The Brewery Quarter and is online at visitcheltenham.com.

There will be a self-guided tour available on the Visit Cheltenham website which will be accessible on mobile devices, giving visitors the opportunity to find out a little information about the buildings involved in the event and where they all are.

For information on Light Up Cheltenham please go to www.visitcheltenham.com/whats-on/festivals/light-up-cheltenham