THE Countdown to Christmas event comes to Newport city centre today.

The big switch on will come as the finale to a day of festive entertainment throughout the city centre that will feature pop duo Into The Ark, Capital FM breakfast show presenter Polly James and a host of local talent.

Running from noon until 5.30pm, Newport's Countdown to Christmas will feature music, fairground rides, celebrity guests and cartoon characters.

It will finish with the official switching on of Newport’s extended city centre Christmas lights and a fireworks display.

The timetable for the main stage:

• Noon-12.15pm Pete Pork

• 12.20pm-12.35pm Ben Yendle and Selena Jerome

• 12.40pm-12.55pm Ilona Held

• 1pm-1.15pm X Factor contestant Russell Jones Jr

• 1.20pm-1.35pm To Bear Sir

• 1.40pm-1.55pm Shimai

From 2pm, Capital FM breakfast show presenter Polly James takes over as the on-stage host for the rest of the event.

• 2pm-2.20pm Amazing Grace choir

• 2.30pm-2.55pm Oxbowlake

• 3.05pm-3.30pm Tobias Robertson

• 3.40pm-4.05pm Special musical guest

• 4.35pm-5.05pm Into The Ark

After Into The Ark have completed their set, a special celebrity guest will join Newport Mayor David Fouweather on stage to switch on the city centre’s Christmas lights.

A firework display will start from the roof of the Kingsway car park at 5.30pm.

You will also find Father Christmas making an appearance, and there will be performances from a barbershop quartet and walkabouts from children’s cartoon favourites in Friars Walk.

Costume characters will also be on parade in Commercial Street and High Street and there will be children’s face painters in attendance.

Friars Walk is offering free parking between 4pm and 7pm Monday to Friday, from November 20 until December 29.

People are being reminded that there are temporary road closures in effect.

High Street and Griffin Street was closed to vehicles from 5pm last night and will re-open at midnight today.

Other road closures include Commercial Street (between Stow Hill and Hill Street), Charles Street (between Talbot Lane and Commercial Street), and Corn Street (between Skinner Street and Commercial Street) will be closed on Saturday, November 18 from 6am until 9pm.

During the temporary closures, people have been asked not to park vehicles in the affected areas.

With the South Wales Argus as media partner, the event is organised by the Newport Now Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with Newport City Council and Friars Walk.

Countdown to Christmas is the latest in a series of city centre events organised or funded by Newport Now BID, a private company representing more than 400 city centre businesses.