People are invited to call into the new Big Onion venture in Southport town centre for a Christmas Market on the same day as the Southport Christmas Spectacular.
The Big Onion aims to offer ‘life-changing’ opportunities for local people as it operates from the former Crave pizza cafe in the Town Hall Gardens on Lord Street.
It will enable people operating social enterprises or community initiatives to provide their services from a central location with support from Merseyside Expanding Horizons and without the costs of paying out for commercial high street premises.
The Big Onion will open its doors and join in the festive activities on Saturday 15th November 2025 and is inviting people to get involved.
They will be selling soft drinks, mulled wine and hot chocolate all day as well as promoting some of the activities which will start from Monday 17th November.
The Big Onion will also be running a crafty market for local makers.
Are you a maker, baker or festive creator?
The Big Onion is looking for talented local businesses to join the Southport Big Onion Christmas Market between 10am and 5pm on Saturday 15th November.
Be part of the festive fun and showcase your work to hundreds of visitors.
Apply for your stall:
The Town Hall Gardens will host the ‘Southport Christmas Spectacular’ celebration on the same day, with a huge kids party and non-stop entertainment.
This free festive event, organised by Southport BID, will provide a packed programme of festive activities to open the Christmas calendar in Southport in style.
Visitors can enjoy a huge kids Christmas party in the Town Hall Gardens between 11am and 4pm including a stage show with appearances from famous children’s TV characters, dance schools, and local performers.
Following the conclusion of the live acts, don’t miss the launch of a brand-new interactive music show on the LED Christmas tree in the Town Hall Gardens which will animate in colour to music.
The Big Onion celebrated its arrival with a soft launch earlier this month.
A Merseyside Expanding Horizons spokesperson said: “What an unforgettable evening at the soft launch for our brand new Big Onion Southport.
“The event exceeded all expectations, with an outstanding turnout and a genuine sense of community spirit throughout. It was truly special to see the enthusiasm and commitment of everyone involved, reflecting on the potential this space holds for Southport’s future.
“This project is a true example of people power. Local individuals and organisations working together to make a meaningful difference, with the ongoing support from Sefton Council.
“We were delighted to hear from Chris Lewis, who has been instrumental in driving this initiative forward, along with Paulette Lappin with words of encouragement and great belief in this initiative.
“A special thank you to Patrick Hurley, Phil Porter and Cllr Liz Dowd for joining us too, alongside a room full of engaged guests and capturing the shared vision of what The Big Onion can achieve.
“The Big Onion Southport will serve as a dynamic community hub. A space for artists, creatives, social enterprises and local organisations to connect, collaborate and grow.
“By transforming a prominent empty building on Lord Street, we’re creating new opportunities for emerging social businesses and helping to shape a more vibrant local economy.
“This marks another significant step forward in our journey and we’re excited to see what comes next.”
For more details about The Big Onion please email Chris Lewis at: chrislewis@expandinghorizons.co.uk
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