A FESTIVE parade of lanterns will light up the town centre next month – and residents are invited to join in.
Rugby’s Festive Celebration and Lantern Parade takes place at St Andrew’s Church gardens from 12noon to 6pm on Saturday December 3.
Visitors will be able to enjoy some traditional festive fun – including lantern making, music, food, stalls, family entertainment, and a chance to meet a special guest.
At the end of the day, the lantern parade will be led through the town centre by local samba band Sambassadors Of Groove. Lantern-making materials are free, and a lantern isn’t required to join the parade.
Jo Kemp from co-organisers Rugby First said: “The parade is a perfect opportunity to bring together Rugby’s communities, share the magic of Christmas, remember those we have lost, as well as shine a positive light on our town centre and encourage people to shop local and support their town centre.
“Over the past month in preparation for the parade, we have organised a number of lantern making workshops for groups, in conjunction with local community arts group Hats Off, and these have been very successful and generated a lot of interest. The lanterns themselves are hand-held and made from environmentally friendly materials.”
Artists from Hats Off have been creating large willow sculptures to take part in a lantern parade.
Shiam, one of the artists, said: “We are excited to be taking part in this Christmas parade and it’s fantastic to create a spectacle for Christmas that is beautiful and environmentally friendly.
“Hats Off create artwork by using reclaimed or environmentally friendly materials. All of the artists will be working with local community groups to make willow and paper lanterns to hold in the parade.”
Visit www.rugbyfirst.org for more information, or to obtain a free lantern-making kit.
