A FESTIVE lantern parade is set to light up the skies of a town centre next month.

The annual Blackburn Festival of Light has glowed in recent years and now attracts thousands of people to Blackburn town centre.

Organisers have set up a series of lantern-making workshops where people create lanterns which will be used for the December parade.

The lanterns, which are made out of paper and willow, vary from basic designs to more creative ones such as giant bees, reindeers, stars, planets and rockets.

Around 67 people turned out to help with the Blackburn Festival of Light lantern making workshop at The Bureau, in Victoria Street, Blackburn.

Kerrie Casey St Pierre, director of Blackburn Festival of Light, said: “We were pleased with the numbers that turned up because it was the biggest session we have put on.

“More and more people are becoming aware of it and have been inspired to get involved in making lanterns.

“People can make all sorts of things with them. Some people have made houses, while others made mosques and churches.

“One of our volunteers is constructing a lantern of The Bureau which he will push along in the parade.

“For us it’s about creating a new tradition for the town that belongs to everyone and we encourage as many people to get involved this year as possible.

“The festival grows every year but this one is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet.”

The lantern festival is delivered in partnership by the Blackburn BID, Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackburn Cathedral and the Blackburn Festival of Light team.

Further lantern making workshops are being held between 11am and 5pm on November 26, December 3 and December 10.

The festival, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, December 16, will start with a community carol concert at Blackburn Cathedral from 3.30pm.

At the festival the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen will be joined by celebrity guest, Rev Kate Bottley who is a well-known on television and radio including BBC Radio 2 and Channel 4’s Gogglebox.

The lantern parade will begin on Ainsworth Street at 5pm and take a new circular route along Exchange Street and King William Street to Sudell Cross, around Blakey Moor and Northgate, ending outside the Town Hall for the street party, with music, light up performances and projections and spectacular fireworks.

For more details on how to get involved visit https://www.facebook.com/BlackburnFestivalofLight/.