A show featuring pyrotechnics, puppetry and projections will herald Bradford’s Christmas lights switch-on later this month.

Step Into Christmas will also mark the official start of Christmas shopping in the city centre.

Street entertainment will be held through the afternoon of Saturday, November 13, before the performance of the show, The Southern Lights – A Christmas Adventure.

The free family-friendly festival tale starts at 5.30pm, lasts 20 minutes, and tells the story of Christmas trees being delivered to one of the most remote places on earth, through what are described as stunning visual effects.

Meanwhile, this Sunday, Santa Claus will be arriving at Bradford’s Kirkgate Centre at 10am with six reindeer for a parade through the city centre.

The route will take in Kirkgate, Sunbridge Road, Market Street and Cheapside, and will return along Kirkgate, where Santa will take up residence in his grotto at the Kirkgate Centre.

Centre manager Catherine Riley joked that she was pleased Bradford Council had waived any parking or bus lane fines for the special visitor.

She said: “We know that the reindeer and sleigh could fly above the newly-installed cameras, but then the children wouldn’t see Santa up close, which would be a shame.”

Children will be able to meet Santa after the parade in his free grotto on the upper mall outside Primark.

They can also see more of the reindeer on Kirkgate after the parade before they return to their home.

A host of festive events will be held across the district in the run-up to Christmas, including: * A Victorian Christmas Market, on Saturday, November 27, and Sunday, November 28, at Bradford Industrial Museum, Eccleshill.

* The Bradford Christmas Street Market from Thursday, December 2, to Sunday, December 5, at Darley Street and Kirkgate, Bradford city centre.

* Shipley Christmas Market, from Friday, December 10, to Saturday, December 11, at Wellcroft, in Shipley town centre.

* Victorian Christmas, on Sunday, December 12, at Bolling Hall Museum.

* The City Carol Service, on Monday, December 20, at Bradford Cathedral.

For more information, go to visitbradford.com.