Derby Lantern Parade Brings a World of Flowers To Light Up City Streets

Derby Lantern Parade – Saturday November 30 starting at 4pm

Open to all and its FREE!

Come with your friends and family and join our annual Derby Lantern Parade, ahead of the city’s Christmas light switch on event. Don’t forget to bring your own lanterns but no glass or real flame allowed!

The lantern parade is a key part of the Derby Season of Light (DSOL) festival, organised by Surtal Arts, which has included an array of cultural events, a cross-city lantern sculpture trail, music performances and creative workshops with their venue partners.

This year’s parade theme is ‘Nature-World of Flowers’ which reflects a key message behind DSOL of climate action.

Starting at 4pm from St Peter’s Cross, participants who have attended one of the various lantern making workshops will be joined by more than 350 pupils from local primary schools (St.Clares, Ivyhouse, Brookfield Primary, Parkview Junior, Bemrose, Firs Primary, Griffe Field Primary, Akaal primary, and St. Benedict ) Derby College and members of Family Hubs and local community groups who will proudly parade through the streets with the floral lanterns that they have made. 

Every lantern has been created with biodegradable materials including willow, bamboo, tissue paper, LED lights and chemical-free glue.

They will be joined in the multi-cultural parade by two illuminated stilt walkers wearing costumes inspired by the Elephant Hawk and Oleander Hawk months to highlight the role of these insects as night time pollinators.

Local artist Donna Fox, whose work featured in last year’s lantern parade, has also created giant silk painted costumes entitled ‘Healing Garden’ for the parade.

The lantern parade will also be joined by Bollywood Bhangra dancers from Surtal Arts and Derby College, Ukranian Hopak dancers from Hoverla dance ensemble, drummers from DHOL Frequency and Chinese dragon dancers with cymbals who will start from from St. Peter’s Church Square and weave their way to Corn Market then Market Place and finally reaching its destination on the Tennant Street infront of Sir Peter Hilton Memorial Garden.

The parade then concludes with energetic dance and drumming performances which add colour and dynamism to the Christmas Lights switch-on organised by Derby LIVE.    

It's a great family day out not to be missed! 

Thank you to all our volunteers, Derby Live, Derby City Council and Arts Council of England for their support.

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