Ulverston Lantern Festival will be going ahead as planned on September 17th with the addition of a special tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and one minute of remembrance on the field at Ford Park before the firework display.
The organising committee decided to go ahead with the event as planned and workshops this weekend and through the week after an overwhelmingly positive response on the Lanterns Facebook page.
The Festival organisers studied the official guidance from the Government on the period of mourning and posted this message on its Facebook page:
‘Like everyone else we were hugely saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen. We are now considering whether to go ahead with the event on Saturday, September 17th.
It is a family event and a joyous celebration of Ulverston – we’re minded to Carry On as that feels rather in the spirit of The Queen. She was a huge supporter of communities coming together.
We are planning a one minute’s silence and a very special Lantern to commemorate Her Majesty.
What do you – our Lanterns community – think?‘
Hundreds of Festival fans responded with overwhelming support for going ahead as planned.
This post from Rosie reflects the comments of so many:
‘I think families and communities coming together to celebrate their own little traditions is exactly something the Queen represented and going ahead with some nods to honouring The Queen would be beautiful xx’
Lantern workshops started this weekend in the old St John Ambulance Station in The Ellers (LA12 0AB), where makers can get materials and practical advice on how to build the best lanterns. The workshops on Saturday and Sunday (Sept 10th and 11th) are from 2.00pm to 6.00pm, and Monday to Friday (Sept 12-16) from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.
The ‘On the Screen’ theme for the 2022 festival is exciting lantern-makers who are drawing inspiration from Star Wars, Disney and Marvel movies, children’s TV characters, and computer games.
Lantern-making kits are available for £5 each from Appleseeds in Market Street, the Book Shack in the Market Hall, The Cumbria Way in Upper Brook Street, and Croftlands Launderette. They contain willow withies, paper, PVA glue, masking tape, wire and a candle – everything needed to make a lantern. However, some lanterneers are more ambitious in their plans and have been contacting the organising committee for more materials.
Committee chair Chris Nelson says: ‘Going ahead was a tough decision for the committee with so much work already committed to the festival by so many people. We went out to our Lanterns community for guidance, and to other organisations, and hugely appreciate their support for a true community festival which we hope will be a beacon of light in this dark hour.’
Big lanterns will lead each of the four processions which will come together outside The Coro in County Square around 8.00pm, before combining into one big procession making its way up to Ford Park for the big firework finale starting at 9.00pm.
The organisers are still looking for extra volunteers to help steward the processions and man the barriers which will close roads around the town centre from around 6.30pm to 9.30pm, to ensure the safety of those taking part and the crowds attending the Festival.
Volunteers please contact Chris Nelson on 07761 930627 or email chris@trafalgar-pr.co.uk
The Lantern Festival community event is self-funding with support from local companies such as education specialists CGP Books, and from Ulverston Town Council and South Lakeland District Council. But most of the £10,000 needed to run the event each year comes from sales of Lantern Kits and cash – coins and notes donated by crowds on the night itself.
To find out more about the festival go to the Facebook page or visit ulverstonlanternfestival.org