Candles and Lanterns at Christmas

Whether illuminating the local high street or shopping centre or adorning a tree in the corner of your home, colourful Christmas lights are always a warm and cheerful feature of the festive season. At Truro in Cornwall and Dunster in Somerset, as candles and lanterns light up the winter evenings, local residents and businesses join artists, street entertainers and musicians to create two magical events, both of which, in 2016, are celebrating notable anniversaries.

The City of Lights festival and parade in Truro has been delighting visitors for 20 years, and for three nights from 23rd November (when the Christmas lights are switched on) until the 25th, Victoria Gardens will be lit up by lanterns of all shapes and sizes designed by artists, schoolchildren and community groups based on a particular theme. Many of the lanterns are very large indeed and in previous years have included a squid, giraffe, rhinoceros, the kings and queens of England and important local figures. There will also be art installations, dancers, food and drink, and music ranging from brass bands and pipes and drums to samba, steel bands, choirs and folk groups.

Meanwhile, as we move into December (2nd-3rd) the 30th year of Dunster by Candlelight promises to be as enchanting as ever, with the streets of the Somerset village lit by candles. A procession of children and their families passes through the village, with colourfully dressed characters on stilts lighting the lanterns and stalls offering all sorts of items. Medieval costumes abound, as do carol singers, morris dancers and handbell ringers, with extra entertainment in the church, the tithe barn and floodlit Dunster Castle where shoppers can explore the Christmas market. Street collectors will also be on duty, with proceeds going to St. Margaret’s Hospice.