Traders are looking for volunteers to help organise the first ever Kilburn Christmas Festival

Economic hard times may be upon us, but traders have decided to spread a little festive cheer this winter by putting on Kilburn’s first ever Christmas festival

The newly formed Kilburn Business Friends (KBF) are organising an evening of carols, cut price shopping and music entertainment on December 3rd in a bid to bring the community together this Christmas.

Shops and bars along the Kilburn High Road will open late and offering shoppers discounted prices, a marquee will be put up in Kilburn Square with food stalls and music entertainment, and the hotly anticipated Christmas lights will be switched on.

And traders will be showing off their creative skills in a best window dressing competition.

Anis Kapadia, KBF secretary and manager of the Kodak shop in Kilburn High Road said he hopes the festival will bring a boost to businesses while providing residents with festive entertainment free of charge.

He said: “We are really excited about organising the first Kilburn Christmas festival. The whole community has been really supportive, and we feel that the event will be a great celebration of the great shops and bars Kilburn has on offer.”

Given the large scale funding cuts announced by the Government last week, organisers say it is unlikely they will get council or Government funding to pay for the event, and so are urging residents and traders to donate what they can to help make the festival a success.

Zulfi Amade, who runs Zulfi’s barbers in Belsize Road, Kilburn, said he was hoping to enlist primary school children to sing carols on the night.

Mr Amade said: “We want to get the whole community involved. Businesses will be discounting their products, bars will be serving up lashings of mulled wine, and we’ll be having bands playing.

“It will be a great way to kick off Christmas.”

Organisers are urging residents, traders and schools to get in touch to help out with the event. Anyone who wants to volunteer should contact Anis Kapadia at secretary@kilburnbusinessfriends.org