Marshes Dundalk prepares to welcome Santa and Bjorn the Polar Bear

Dundalk’s Marshes Shopping Centre has lined-up spectacular events for the arrival of Santa Claus on Friday November 25 at 5.30pm, which will be preceded by a pyrotechnic display, seasonal music from choirs, pipe-band and DJ from 4.30 pm.

An enormous, life-size animatronic polar bear will form the centrepiece of the countdown to Christmas at Marshes. Bjorn, who is rarely seen in the Republic, will be appearing at Marshes on Saturday and Sunday, November 26-27, with show times of 11.30am, 1.00pm and 2.30pm each day.

Places for Bjorn’s free shows, which last half an hour, will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Complete with blinking eyes, a sniffing nose, moving mouth and realistic sounds, Bjorn is an animatronic wonder. He provides an exceptional and unrivalled level of animation, for a realistic polar bear experience, but without the danger.

Bjorn will arrive with his own iceberg environment and an Arctic conservationist companion who, as well as encouraging audience interaction, will also educate on polar bear habits and habitats.

Climate change’s reduction of sea ice - on which the bears hunt - is the biggest threat to their survival and they are classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Bjorn is a huge hit with audiences worldwide and has appeared at a number of international environmental events. He has also undertaken appearances for National Geographic, the Venice Carnival, The BBC and The Eden Project across the globe.

Bjorn’s arrival at Marshes will provide children with the chance to get up close to a realistic representation of one of the world’s largest and most beautiful land predators and learn about its life and struggles. Visitors to Marshes will be able to pet, stroke and gaze in awe at this majestic work of animatronics.

For more information, please visit marshesshopping.com or the Marshes Facebook page. Visitors can also stop by the North Pole Post Office at Marshes where children can write a letter to Santa Claus, pop it into the post box and be in with the chance of winning festive prizes.

There will also be seasonal games for the chance to win gift cards, as well as other free Christmas treats. On Saturday, December 3 and 10, various Christmas characters will appear at Marshes giving out goodies while the North Pole Post Office remains open.

“It is a real privilege for us to welcome Bjorn and Santa Claus to Dundalk as Marshes returns to celebrating Christmas post pandemic,” said centre manager, Sean Farrell.

“Marshes will be pulling out all the stops to help ensure this will be a Christmas to remember for customers and their families.”