Bankside Winter Festival

The winter market will be made up of 40-50 arts and crafts stalls, selling those last minute stocking fillers including handmade jewellery, fine ceramics, wooden Christmas crafts and other decorations, leather goods and other beautiful handcrafted accessories.

From Friday to Sunday Siberian huskies will be leading sledding rides for children under 12 at 5 per ride and for the over 12s who want to get up close to these beautiful furry animals, you can have a "Hug a Husky" photo for 4.

There will also be several outlets selling festive food to keep you warm and a main bar serving mulled wine and ale.

The festival opens with a lantern parade on Friday 12 December at 4:30pm. The parade will have three strands starting at Bernie Spain Gardens, St Paul's Cathedral and Southwark Cathedral, all congregating outside Tate Modern.

Families will be able to download instructions to make their own lantern from www.visitbankside.com and join the parade.

On Saturday 13 December at 11am there will also be celebratory procession of Traditional Thames Cutters on the River Thames. Up to 12 Waterman's Cutters in full livery will depart from St Katharines's Pier at 11am The procession will land at Bankside Pier at approx 11.45am.

A series of guided walks focusing on Bankside's connection with the river and its rich theatrical history will take place throughout the festival.