Families flocked to Blackburn town centre last night to enjoy a festive parade with traditional Christmas carols and handmade lanterns.
The annual lantern parade took place on Thursday, 10th December, leaving from St Paul’s Gardens at 4.30pm making its way past Blakey Moore to King William Street before finishing at Blackburn Cathedral.
A number of illuminated up artists, fire performers and musicians paraded the streets including a bloom of jellyfish, a puppet walkabout act and two samba bands.
Following the parade, visitors enjoyed a firework display and a Christmas Concert hosted by the Lancashire Telegraph at Blackburn Cathedral.
This year, the Festival of Light was organised by the Blackburn Business Improvement District in association with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.
Manager of the Blackburn BID, Harriet Roberts, said: “Thanks to all the team who helped make the lantern parade and firework display such a special evening, last night. Artistic producer, Kerris Casey St Pierre from the Bureau had done a wonderful job in providing a really impressive line-up and the community pulled together to create a massive number of large and small lanterns of all shapes and sizes.“
Blackburn’s Festival of Light continues with the lighting up of the iconic Holy Trinity Church for a spectacular grand finale event on Saturday, 12th December from 6.30pm.
Blackburn People’s Choir will be performing a selection of Christmas carols from 6pm at the former Anglican parish church with mulled wine and mince pies served before and after the singing. Everyone is asked to wrap up warm and to bring their cameras or phones to share the spectacular.
