Advertisement 1

Lantern Festival a highlight in County

Article content

As the darker days of autumn descend upon Prince Edward County, The Firelight Lantern Festival (FLT) is bringing the light.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

The FLT is the brainchild of Krista Dalby and Susanne Larner who started the event in 2013.

Since then, members of The Department of Illumination Artistic Company have taught more than 1,000 people how to make their own beautiful, handmade lanterns to carry in their magical community parade down Main Street Picton.

Article content

This year there are seven lantern making workshops taking place October 19 to November 2. All are welcome to come out and make a lantern; no experience or special talents are required, and the workshops are great fun for adults and kids alike. There is also a costuming workshop taking place on November 3.

The inaugural festival was held in the spring, then in keeping with other lantern festivals around the world, it was moved to November after the clocks change and darkness comes earlier in the day. Dalby said the timing also helps target locals to participate.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

“We can’t get over how popular it’s become in the community,” she said. “The timing is very deliberate because the economy here is so seasonal and in November there are not near as many tourists and this is a way to draw the local people together and really build community spirit.”

All workshops are free of charge with materials and instruction provided; for a complete list of dates and locations, visit www.deptofillumination.org/firelight-workshops. The theme of this year’s festival is ‘The Time Machine,’ intended to inspire lantern creations and costumes… what era will you travel to?

On Saturday Nov. 9, the main event kicks off with a community lantern parade; participants will gather at Picton’s Benson Park (Ross & King Streets) at 6 p.m. where they’ll enjoy a fire-spinning performance by Trellis Arts & Entertainment. The parade departs at 6:30 p.m., making its way down Main Street to the Crystal Palace.

Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content

In the previous six years, the festival has grown to attract hundreds of participants each year, making the march down Main Street.

This is a participatory parade where everybody joins in, and costumes are encouraged. The parade will be accompanied by music from Spencer Evans and the Goat Steppers who will then take the stage at the Crystal Palace, where there will also be art installations to explore, an acrobatic performance by Trellis Arts & Entertainment, and DJ Ombudsman will be spinning tunes well into the night.

“It’s pretty much reached its capacity now and I don’t think we could grow it any larger if we wanted to,” Dalby said. “Last year I think we had over 700 people and when we were dancing at Crystal Palace I couldn’t get over how many people were there in costume — it was fantastic.”

Advance wristbands are on sale starting October 15 at Kelly’s Shop (197 Main St. Picton) and at all lantern-making workshops: $6 for adults, $4 for children (door prices are $8 adults/$6 children).

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers