Tunbridge Wells Winter Lanterns parade set to light up the streets this weekend
11:03, 04 February 2020
updated: 11:05, 04 February 2020
The streets will be aglow with extravagant creations this weekend as an annual Winter Lanterns parade comes to the county.
Colourful sea creatures, dragons, planets and stars, made of vibrant tissue paper stretched across stick framing, will dance above excitable revellers in Tunbridge Wells, with this year’s theme being ‘A night of magic’.
Local people have been preparing for the much-anticipated event, all competing to build the wildest, most imaginative sculptures possible, in the hope spectators will be in awe of their artistry.
Lantern-making workshops have been held in the run-up to the event to help people bring their designs to life, creative volunteers on hand to help.
There will also be lots of crazy beats and melodies to keep the festivities going.
A group of local people were first inspired to start the parade due to a lack of Christmas lights on the lower part of Camden Road. So they got together to organise a parade of celebration and light in the area.
Combining with an earlier Chinese New Year parade, it has become an annual event and a modern tradition in the town, organised by Create in partnership with Royal Tunbridge Wells Together and Royal Victoria Place.
A few years ago, the organisers' long-running grant was stopped, so they now funding the parade themselves with the support of nearby businesses and residents..
Crowds will gather at 17, Calverley Road where the parade will begin at 5.30pm on Saturday, February 8.
The lanterns will then light up Camden Road, with the procession finishing at the Grosvenor and Hilbert Recreation Ground.
For updates on the event, visit the Winter Lanterns website here.
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