Neighbourly Duties

Dancer Neil Jones – one of the shining stars of Strictly Come Dancing – drew in the crowds at Wembley Park last night as he switched on the Christmas lights to launch the stunning Winterfest 2021.

Local Quintain Living resident Neil was delighted to launch the mesmerising display, which features London’s largest LED tree, made up of 100,000 lights and standing 25 feet tall. This year’s Winterfest has also welcomed several brand-new light art installations and commissions including the world premieres of ‘Reunion’ from Kumquat Lab and ‘Reflections of the Future’ by Lucid Creates, and ‘City Lights’, commissioned by local Brent artist Yoni Alter.

The free-to-attend ‘Big Switch On’ event kicked off at 4.30pm, with hours of entertainment including live bands, choirs, circus acts, pantomime performers, fire dancers and plenty more. Londoners turned out en masse for the 7pm switch on, with the revelry continuing afterwards at BOXPARK Wembley, where the Ultimate Bublé put on a superb tribute show for the event’s official afterparty.

Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer of Quintain Living said: “Quintain Living residents enjoy so many benefits as a result of being based in the heart of Wembley Park. Christmas is always a lovely time for the local community and we were delighted to see Neil and so many of his fellow residents celebrating in the spirit of the season as the lights were switched on last night.”

Like so many Quintain Living residents, Neil has become increasingly involved in community life during his time in Wembley Park. During lockdown, he launched monthly, free-to-attend online dance classes for his fellow residents, while earlier this year he used his choreographing and directorial skills to create the Olympic Step. Together with TikTok stars Marlon “Swoosh” Wallen and Keiran Lai, Neil’s incredible dance featured 48 dance steps for the 48 new steps leading to Wembley Stadium.

Neil Jones commented: “I’m honoured to have switched on the Winterfest lights this year. It’s wonderful to have such a fun and exciting event right on my doorstep.”

Winterfest 2021 will run through to 4 January 2022 with the theme ‘Reunited in Light’. Stunning light display celebrate togetherness and feature London’s largest LED tree made up of 100,000 mesmerising lights, along with brand new art installations and commissions including 'City Lights', commissioned by Brent artist Yoni Alter.

With LDO also on the doorstep, along with an array of independent stores and markets, Wembley Park residents are spoiled for choice when it comes to their Christmas shopping this year. The neighbourhood is also ideally suited to those quieter moments that make up the magic of Christmas – sipping a steaming hot chocolate in the glow of the twinkling lights, sampling flavours of the holiday season from around the world at London’s largest BOXPARK or simply strolling through the crisp winter air with the sights and sounds of London all around.

Winterfest 2021

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