CHRISTMAS magic will be sprinkled over the district this weekend, with a host of festive activities for the whole family.

Keighley, Bingley, Baildon and Saltaire are all gearing up for their Christmas lights switch-on events, while Haworth is preparing for its picturesque annual Scroggling the Holly celebration, marking the beginning of the festive season in the village.

Beer festivals, Christmas markets, tree festivals and Santa's grottos will also be held across the district to make this weekend one to remember.

The festive weekend kicks off in Baildon tonight, with Baildon Ladies Choir and the Hall Royd Brass Band providing the entertainment at the lights switch-on, which begins at 6pm in the town centre.

Bingley has a triple celebration planned for this weekend, with a beer festival, festive market and a Christmas lights switch-on by Rugby League legend Brian Noble.

All the action takes place on Bingley Market Square.

The four-day beer festival, which is being organised by the Foundry Hill Bar, began yesterday and will run until Sunday, with live music and more than 25 real ales, ciders and lagers on tap.

There will be a wide variety of stalls with festive gifts and treats aplenty on the Bradford Council-run Bingley Christmas market, which takes place today and tomorrow.

Children can also pop down to Market Square tomorrow to visit Santa in his grotto from 10.30am.

There will also be a land train, carousel rides, trampolines, donkey rides and a reindeer rodeo ride.

Then the town's Christmas lights will be switched on at 4.30pm by Brian Noble, former coach of Great Britain and the Bradford Bulls.

Bradford's Bolling Hall museum will become a Winter Wonderland tomorrow, with a free event offering a fairground, live music, food and drink and a visit from Father Christmas from 11am to 3pm.

Ilkley is preparing to unveil its new Christmas lights tomorrow. The fun begins from 3.30pm, with live performances.

Then at 4.45pm, Father Christmas will lead a procession Whitton Croft Road to The Grove for the big switch-on at 5pm.

Children are welcome to join in with the procession, and can also visit Father Christmas in his grotto afterwards.

Keighley will have the X Factor this weekend, with contestant Josh Daniel doing the honours and turning on the town's Christmas lights on Sunday.

Final preparations are being made for a day of activities at the Airedale Shopping Centre, from 11am.

There will be carol singers, stilt walkers, face painting, balloon modelling and fairground rides.

There will also be a Santa's Grotto in Brunswick Arcade, which will raise money for Sue Ryder hospice Manorlands, the centre's charity for this year.

Donations for the hospice can also be dropped into a wishing well in the centre’s animated display, and the charity is raising more funds with a gift-wrapping service through December, until 4pm on Christmas Eve.

Activities on Sunday will culminate with the switching-on of the lights at 4.30pm by X Factor star Josh Daniel.

The 22-year-old singer, who famously made judge Simon Cowell cry during an audition of the top TV talent show, will be joined by Santa and Keighley mayor Councillor Javaid Akhtar.

Josh, who just missed out on the X Factor live shows, said he was looking forward to visiting Keighley.

"I am really happy to have been asked to come and switch on the Christmas lights at the Airedale Centre," he said.

"It's hard to believe how the last few months have gone for me, from normal working life to entertaining people at events like this!

"It has been a bit of a crazy ride to say the least.

"From my first audition back in May to now doing what I love as a full-time job and seeing how things have changed for me is amazing."

Airedale Shopping Centre manager Steve Seymour said: “It’s always a big event for Keighley when the Christmas lights are switched on, and I am sure that once again we will get a great turn-out on Sunday.

“We are again working in conjunction with the Keighley Town Centre Association and Keighley Town Council – we have pulled out all the stops to make sure there’s another great day for all the family."

Saltaire is also holding its lights switch-on on Sunday, with with community stalls and refreshments from 4pm and the main event from 6pm.

Haworth is preparing to welcome in the Christmas season with its annual Scroggling the Holly weekend.

Tomorrow is the ‘Scroggleve’, in which fairies prepare Main Street for the opening of Christmas by sprinkling their fairy dust. The fairy procession will start at 2pm at the bottom of Main Street.

Children are invited to lend a hand as 'extra fairies', and there will also be a band and choir.

There will also be a Christmas fair at the Haworth Church from 10am to 4pm, and a craft fair at the Old School Rooms from 10am to 4pm.

Then, on Sunday, the Victorian-style Scroggling the Holly procession will officially welcome Christmas to the village.

The Holly Princess will travel up Main Street flanked by Father Christmas, ushers and sweeps The crowning of the Holly Queen will then follow on the Church steps.

Morris dancers, bands and choirs will also be on hand to entertain the crowds.

And in Thornton, St James's Church in Thornton Road is preparing for its annual Tree Festival, which this year will feature more than 40 decorated Christmas trees. It opens tomorrow and runs until December 5. Entry is free.