BUSINESSES in Andover have got creative and decorated their windows with colourful and creative Alice in Wonderland-themed decorations.

On Saturday, April 1, InAndover from Andover BID hosted an Easter bonnet trail and Easter window competition which generated a buzz among the community.

The launch of the window competition was a huge success, with businesses in the town centre stepping up to the call to decorate their windows with the decorations.

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Participants were encouraged to collect a plain bonnet and form from our stand in the market square and walk around the town centre and admire the participating shop windows. They had to stop at each and collect an item to decorate their bonnets with and then bring their completed forms back, vote for their favourite window and start creating their Easter bonnets. The event attracted over 300 families, children and people of all ages and brought an upbeat spirit to the town.

Test Valley Borough Council had arranged for a scavenger hunt, crafting sessions and Street Theatre to take place in town on Saturday and all of these elements really brought together the fabulous Alice in Wonderland theme throughout the town and got the school holidays off to a wonderfully magical and whimsical start

Kate Griffin, an Andover BID director, said: “I was in Andover on Saturday morning - in the rain and gloom and EVERYWHERE I looked were happy faces and children and parents dashing around with Easter bonnets in their hands really excited, looking in shop windows etc for the Alice in Wonderland pics. it was so lovely.

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InAndover is appealing to anyone who has created an Easter Bonnet whether it be to bring the finished article to the Second Sundays Market on Sunday, April 9. The Easter Bonnet competition will officially end there, where the judges will review all the entries and choose the top three winners. Each of the winners will receive some lovely Easter goodies.

The Easter Window Competition that visitors can judge by completion of a paper form or online is ongoing until Sunday, April 16. The winner of that competition will be announced via the InAndover social media channels by Tuesday, April 18.