Pop band East-17 flicked the switch at this year’s Mansfield Christmas switch on.
Thousands of local residents made their way to Mansfield’s market square to see 90s pop icons East-17 light up the stage.
The council set up activities throughout the day leading up to the big turn on, with East-17 performing some of their classic 90’s music, including their hit Christmas single Stay Another Day.
Terry Codwell, the lead singer of the band said: “We are very excited to be in Mansfield today, everyone is excited and ready to party in the crowd.
“We have done multiple Christmas light switch ons but this is by far the best, the backdrop is amazing with the huge town square and Christmas tree.”
East-17 were one of many acts performing at the event, including a music set from SukiSoul, crowd karaoke with Jono Edwards and a music set from Ollie Hayes, an up and coming artist from Mansfield.
Ollie Hayes performed a set of Christmas songs including his single ‘Here Comes Christmas’ from his new EP ‘Christmassy’, as performing at the switch on was a warm up to his headline show at Rough Trade in Nottingham on December 15.
Ollie said: “It was so lovely performing in Mansfield as it is home for me and if you aren’t from around here you wouldn’t understand how much joy Christmas in Mansfield brings the local community.
“It was surreal performing next to East-17, they are such an iconic band and it was so weird to perform next to people who are associated heavily with Christmas.”
“It was surreal performing next to EAST-17, THEY ARE SUCH AN ICONIC BAND.”
Ollie Hayes
The event ran on Sunday November 27 with festive events happening throughout the day including the Christmas market and Santa’s grotto in the Four Seasons shopping centre.
It was run for free by Mansfield District Council, with Mansfield 103.2 radio station presenting on stage all afternoon and Mansfield 2020 being the main sponsor of the day.
East-17 are a 90s pop band from Walthamstow, London who were founded in 1991 by Tony Mortimer.
They have sold over 18 million records worldwide and had one of their singles in the top charts for six years in a row
The band is named E-17 after the postcode that they are originally from.
