Community volunteers Stacksteads Countryside Park Group (SCPG) have organised an illuminated procession to light up the grassland this October.

Four free making sessions will give people of all ages the opportunity to create their own lantern from willow and paper on this year’s theme of Moon Garden, with full help and advice on hand.

For the procession's sixth year, the lanterns will then be decorated and fitted with LED bulbs and fixed onto canes so they can be carried in the procession.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Chair of SCPG, Elaine Potts, said: “Last year was the first time I have been to the lantern procession and the turnout was tremendous.

“We have gone above and beyond this year to get the message out there with flyers being distributed in schools and also door-to-door and we are also using social media so we will have more or less the whole area covered.

“Last year was the first major event we had held since Covid and it was amazing to see all the different creations people had made at the workshops. It was absolutely wonderful and it made me feel very proud.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

This year’s free festival has been possible thanks to Crowdfund Lancashire and SCPG receiving 33 backers, including many individuals and larger grants of £1,000 each from Grantscape and Bacup Cultural Consortium.

This is alongsode £500  from Lancashire County Council’s Older and Younger People’s Champions, that secured the matched funding from Lancashire County Council.

Community artist Ruth Evans will lead the workshops at the Globe Studios, top floor Toll Bar Mill, Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, on Saturdays September 23 and 30, and October 7 and 14, ahead of the procession in the evening of October 21.

Providing entertainment on the night will be Rossendale Drum Majorettes and Blowjangles.

The parade leaves the rear car park at Toll Bar and proceeds along to the Riverside Park with all participants walking around the perimeter of Stacksteads Recreation Ground with their lanterns.

Stacksteads Countryside Park volunteers meet most weekends to carry out clean up, gardening and ongoing maintenance work in the village as well as responding to issues people raise.

Anyone wanting to find out more about how to get involved can join the Facebook page Stacksteads Countryside Park Group or email scpgstacksteads@gmail.com.