Bolsover Schools Create Mythical Creatures For Lantern Parade
Bolsover Schools Create Mythical Creatures For Lantern Parade
Bolsover school children have been busy this November creating dragon lanterns for the ‘mythical’ themed Bolsover Lantern Parade!
Organisers, Junction Arts, visited five primary and junior schools in the area to run lantern-making workshops. Children learned about Chinese New Year, China’s lantern-making traditions, and the long history of Bolsover Lantern Parade, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year. The students also created their own Year of the Dragon lanterns featuring colourful horns and scales!
The children and their creations will join the Bolsover Lantern Parade this Saturday (30th November 2024), now one of the UK’s biggest and longest-running light processions.
Over 300 school-made lanterns will join this year’s parade, including 157 dragon lanterns created, by Brockley Primary School, Palterton Primary School, Bolsover C of E Juniors and New Bolsover Primary School and 149 traditional paper lanterns made by Bolsover Infants, Palterton and Woodthorpe Primary Schools.
Junction Arts staged the first Bolsover Lantern Parade in 1994; it has grown each year, lighting up the streets of the historic town for three decades, with generations of local people taking part. Over the last 30 years, over 12,000 lanterns have been made, and almost 200 community lantern-making workshops have taken place in Bolsover.
Starting at Bolsover Castle, the stunning light show, featuring hundreds of community-made lanterns, will travel through the town creating a beautiful spectacle that culminates at the Cenotaph for Christmas carols.
Junction Arts Project Manager Jane Wells said, “This year’s theme for the lantern parade is mythical, and it just so happens to be the Chinese Year of the Dragon – making dragon lanterns the perfect choice for the school workshops! The children loved learning about Chinese and local traditions, and this inspired some amazing creations that will bring something really special to this year’s Bolsover Lantern Parade.
“The school and community lantern workshops give people the opportunity to get creative and be part of a stunning art installation, that lights up the town and instils local pride. We hope the children feel a sense of achievement when they walk in the parade on Saturday and make lasting memories of the magical event.”
Sarah Wheeldon, from Brockley Primary School, said: The children at Brockley Primary School thoroughly enjoyed working with Junction Arts to make their lanterns. They took real pride in their work and have made some beautiful lanterns, which they are looking forward to exhibiting at the Bolsover Lantern Parade.”
The Bolsover Lantern Parade is part of the Bolsover Winter Festival. The parade starts at 5pm from Bolsover Castle and will culminate at the Cenotaph for Christmas carols. Anyone with a lantern can join the parade
Bolsover District residents can take advantage of exclusive free access to Bolsover Castle between 10am and 4pm on Parade Day (Saturday, 30th November) with proof of Bolsover residency (e.g. a utility bill). Or Book tickets online using CODE: BOL1140LP.
For more information: https://junctionarts.org/whats-on/bolsover-lantern-parade/