Strand Street will become home to a family of penguins on Saturday December 19 when internationally acclaimed artists Darren Jackson and Stephanie Quayle carve their 2015 Christmas ice sculpture, sponsored once again by Sure.
Visitors to the town can observe the penguin trio – two adults plus junior – taking shape from around 10am, and the display’s expected to be complete by around midday.
Town centre manager Michelle O’Malley said: ‘Douglas is the go-to destination at Christmas, never more so than on Saturday December 19 when Darren and Stephanie’s ice sculpture is set to be a real crowd-puller, and of course we’re very grateful to Sure for sponsoring the event for the fourth year in succession.
‘And as well as the live ice carving there’ll be a “Stocking Fillers” fair along Castle Street and Marina Road when more than 20 local craftspeople will be setting out their stalls with unique and unusual Christmas gifts that will offer shoppers some really inspired ideas so they won’t have to resort to bath salts and socks.’
Sure’s marketing and PR manager Sarah Jarvis said: ‘As one of the town centre’s leading businesses we fully support Douglas Development Partnership’s efforts to bring some Christmas “magic” to the capital’s shopping experience. Darren and Stephanie’s ice sculptures are always amazingly beautiful creations that really add to the special atmosphere at Christmas and we are pleased to be sponsoring their work for the fourth year in a row.’
Shoppers in the town centre can also benefit from free car parking in the run-up to Christmas. There is free parking in Douglas Borough Council’s Shaw’s Brow, Chester Street and Bottleneck car parks from 5 to 10pm on pre-Christmas Thursdays and all day Saturday and Sunday until December 24.
Additionally the Department of Infrastructure is operating Pay and Display public car parking on Douglas promenade walkway until the end of December. Parking is free, though, on Thursday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays over the same period.
Photo - The Sure-sponsored ice sculpture in Strand Street created in 2014 by Darren Jackson and Stephanie Quayle. Photo Andrew Barton.
