Much-loved winter lantern parade set to light up Welsh town once again

Nation.Cymru Staff

A Welsh town is preparing once again for its much-loved festive parade, with giant illuminated creatures, glowing lanterns and live music set to fill its streets.

Cardigan will be transformed into a winter woodland with the return of its Giant Lantern Parade on Friday 11 December at 7pm, bringing visitors together for a creative celebration with Small World Theatre.

The organisers have decided the theme this year will celebrate the magic of the forest, with illuminated tree sculptures and forest creature lanterns designed to shine a light on the importance of protecting and restoring temperate rainforests.

Temperate rainforests are some of the UK’s rarest and most precious woodland habitats, and the festival aims to shine a light on the restoration work taking place to help them flourish for future generations.

Caitlin Kennedy, Communications & Communities Lead at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Lanterns inspired by native trees, extraordinary forest creatures and mysterious plants – how imaginative is that! Supporting this festival is such a cool opportunity to share the creative power of temperate rainforests.

“After all these mossy woods have inspired people for millennia. Cardigan is blessed with some beautiful fragments of rainforest nearby and we need all sorts of approaches to expand what’s left.

“So, it’s an honour to be involved with the Lantern Parade and festivities this year to help reconnect people to this precious habitat.”

The annual parade is a highlight of Cardigan’s festive calendar, attracting thousands of residents and visitors to enjoy its unique combination of giant puppetry, community-made lanterns, and live performance.

A spokesperson for Small World Theatre said: “Our giant puppets and lanterns bring people together, this year’s support has come from community-focused funders, as well as The Black Lion and The Wildlife Trusts.

“We hope the parade will inspire people to look more closely at the natural world around them and discover the importance of protecting these precious woodland habitats.”

Local shops and businesses are invited to take part in Business Lantern Making sessions on 20 and 27 November from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

During these sessions, they can create nature-inspired lanterns for their windows and play a part in the festive Light Trail throughout December.

Public Lantern Making sessions will take place on 28 and 29 November from 10am to 3pm. Booking is essential.

The Lantern Parade on 11 December will set off from Pendre at 7pm, making its way towards the Quay accompanied by the vibrant rhythms of Samba Doc and Jake Madhatter.

A low-noise fireworks display is planned for around 8pm, before the parade returns along the High Street. The evening’s celebrations will culminate in a drumming finale on the steps of Cardigan Guildhall, in front of the town’s Christmas tree, bringing the festivities to a close.

For more information about the parade, as well as lantern making workshops for businesses and the public, visit Small World Theatre’s site here.

This year the Cardigan Giant Lantern Parade is funded by The Wildlife Trusts, Community Foundation Wales, a Healthier Communities Grant from CAVO, The National Lottery Community Fund, Cardigan Town Council and The Black Lion, Cardigan. The organisers, wish to extend their thanks and hope that a public fundraising campaign will help to meet the costs. 

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