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Families braved the torrential rain to attend the Oval’s Christmas celebrations in decent numbers on Saturday.
Family Christmas Festival co-organiser Richard Morley-John said it was an opportunity to offer families a host of mostly free entertainment during the stressful period before Christmas.
"For some of the families, it’s become a feature for their Christmas season.
"They know that it’s something they can take the children to and I think what’s really meaningful for us is that if there’s anyone who’s struggling at Christmas time to be able to put on something free, that can be a highlight for the children. That means a lot for us to be able to do that."
Mr Morley-John said there would have been a crowd of about 300 to 400 at the Oval, which was "very encouraging" considering the poor weather.
Among the attractions were a bouncy castle, egg-and-spoon races, face-painting and other family-oriented entertainment.
"It takes a while to put something like this on, but everyone involved has been fantastic, including the council."
He was "almost certain" that they would host an event like this next year.