Remember Christmas 1994? It was the year that Mariah Carey and her cover of All I Want For Christmas Is You were pipped to the festive number one slot in the UK charts by East 17 and Stay Another Day.

Now, almost 28 years later, the band will be recreating some of its 90s chart-topping pop magic on stage at The Big Switch On — Mansfield’s free Christmas lights switch-on event in the town’s Market Place on Sunday, 27th November, 2022.

The band, named after the postcode of the East London district in which its members grew up, notched up 18 Top 20 singles and four Top 10 albums in the 1990s, and were seen at the time as ‘bad boy’ rivals to the squeaky clean Take That.

East 17 will be the headline act at the switch-on stage show, hosted by Mansfield 103.2, from 3pm to 5.05pm, which also features the 90s sounds of singer Suki Soul.

There will be fun around the town centre all day with walkabout entertainers, free giveaways, and a party atmosphere, finished off with a spectacular firework display.

Mansfield mayor Andy Abrahams said: “After two years when Christmas community events were drastically curtailed due to the pandemic, we’re returning with a bang this year!

“We are beyond excited to have top-selling band East 17 as part of our festive celebration line-up and we hope to see the Market Place brimming with happy faces and enjoying a nostalgic singalong.”

Visitors to the switch-on will also be able to take youngsters to a Santa’s grotto in the Four Seasons Shopping Centre as well as browse stalls at Mansfield Christmas Market on West Gate, hosted by Mansfield BID.

Another Christmas market will be held from Friday, 2nd December, to Sunday, 4th December, at Mansfield Museum, with more than 35 traders expected to take stalls. For enquiries about booking a stall, email [email protected].

There will also be various attractions in the town centre in the build-up to Christmas, including a 30ft responsibly-sourced Norway spruce tree, which is set to take pride of place in the Market Place from 14th November.

This year’s sponsor of the tree is car dealer Ron Brooks, which has been operating in the town for more than 60 years at Toyota Mansfield and Suzuki Mansfield, on Oak Tree Lane.

Christmas lighting features will include a 7.5m light tunnel leading to the illuminated Old Town Hall, where people can post a letter to Father Christmas or drop off gifts for the council’s Secret Santa Appeal, which is being delivered by the council in collaboration with Mansfield Building Society.

More information about Bringing Christmas to Mansfield, including details of community events around the district, can be found at www.mansfield.gov.uk/christmas.