Join us for Farsley’s first Large Scale Lantern Parade at Farsley’s Christmas Lights Switch On!
Wednesday 27th November, 5pm - 8pm
The annual Lights Switch On event attracts over 8000 visitors to Farsley each year and 2024's attendees can expect to see the likes of giant foxes, owls and rabbits; all made out of willow and paper and magically lit from within as part of Farsley's first ever large-scale Lantern Parade.
We’ve been working hard to get all of the businesses, schools and community groups involved to create decorations and props for the event and local children who have joined us at our workshops will be lighting up the street in their wildlife themed headdresses!
Ahead of the parade you can join us outside Grumpy’s from 5pm for a sing-along with Farsley’s Love Pop Choir, marshmallow toasting, mulled wine and merriment.
We’ll also be joined by THE PEACE ARTISTES, a colourful street band who are based in West Yorkshire, they have astonished audiences at events and street festivals all over the UK - they’ll help us to kick off the parade with their lively saxes, brass and percussion – all whilst dressed to thrill!
On the night we will also be raising money and donations for the Food Bank at Pudsey Community Project. Bring along any spare tins, pasta, soup, cereal and packaged treats you’d like to donate and drop them in at our dedicated Food Bank Stall outside Grumpy’s!
The parade will conclude with a celebration between Grumpy’s and Scrap where we’ll be toasting marshmallows and having a festive sing-along with the Farsley’s own Love Pop Choir.
Event Timings:
Town Street will be closed to all traffic from 5pm
Family Disco and entertainment from Farsley’s Love Pop Choir outside Grumpy’s from 5pm
Find Farsley Farmers Market stalls at the lower side of Sunny Bank Mills, trading from 5.30pm - 8pm
Festive Shopping & Mulled Wine in Sunny Bank Gallery until 8pm
The Lantern Parade & Peace Artistes Band will start from the middle of Farsley at 6pm, joining Town Street from Charles Street and doing a lap before collecting the main parade from near the library at around 6.15pm.
The procession will then walk down Town Street to turn at the Cenotaph for a second lap.
Lights Switch On & Fireworks (tbc) around 7pm
Farsley Lantern Parade celebration held outside Grumpy’s from 6.45pm - 8.30pm
Town Street re-opens for traffic at 8pm
We’re on the look out for Volunteers to help us & businesses / organisations to get involved on the evening - click the links below to find out more & to sign up!
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Join us at our Parades as a volunteer and help us to make Farsley’s first Lantern Parades as magical as possible!
We are planning two parades;
One at the Lights Switch On on Wednesday 27th November, 6pm - 9pm
One at Santa’s Food Drive on Thursday 12th December, 5.30pm - 8.30pm
The meeting point for both will be Scrap in Sunny Bank Mills, Farsley. Scrap is accessible by lift and there’s disabled parking at Sunny Bank Mills.
What to Expect:
Volunteers at the Lights Switch On, Wed 27th Nov:
We have different roles for everyone involved, the parade itself takes place from 6pm(ish) and we will be meeting in Scrap and then heading down to the car park between Grumpy’s & Scrap in Sunny Bank Mills where we will join the Parade from Charles Street. The Lantern Parade will do two laps of Town Street then finish again in the Car Park between Grumpy’s and Scrap.
Here we will have a mulled wine stall, marshmallow toasting, a brass band performance by the Peace Artistes and a singalong with a local pop choir. There will also be a collection for the local Food Bank where people can bring along contributions and make cash donations.
We’d love help with the following on the day:
Organising and manning the collection point for families to collect their headdresses for the parade
Moving all of the Lanterns to the Car Park
Carrying the large lanterns during the parade
Organising and manning the Food Donations Stand (involves pdq handling)
Organising and manning the Mulled Wine Stand (involves cash handling)
Organising and manning the marshmallow stand & fire pit (involves cash handling & health & safety)
Help setting up the event space in the car park
Help to clear away the event space
Volunteers at Santa’s Food Drive, Thurs 12th Dec, 5pm - 9pm:
Santa will be taking to the streets of Farsley on Thursday 12th December to once again raise funds and to collect door-to-door food donations for our local food bank!
This year we'll be raising money for Pudsey Community Project; a local charitable organisation started from Pudsey Parish Church to provide community, youth and poverty resources for Pudsey and the immediately surrounding area.
The parade travels around Farsley and consists of Santa in his magical sleigh, a procession of lanterns to spread Christmas Joy along with festively dressed volunteers who help us to collect donations from locals who join us from their doorsteps to wave us all on!
We’d love help with the following on the evening:Moving all of the Lanterns to the Weavers Yard
Carrying the large lanterns during the parade
Collecting food donations during the parade
Organising the donations once back at the Mill
Dropping donations back at Pudsey Parish Church