About Farley Lantern Festival

About the project

At the beginning of 2024, fresh off the back of a Christmas full of community projects we decided that, if we want to go bigger and better this year, we may need some help!

  • So Grumpy’s applied for and has been awarded a grant from Leeds City Council’s Cultures Programme to plan and deliver a wonderful 'urban wildlife' themed Lantern Festival in Farsley.

    The Festival, which starts in July 2024, operates under Grumpy's 'Farsley Community Project' initiative and will include a series of events, workshops and community engagement; culminating at the end of the year with two spectacular parades.

    The first of which will take place on 27th November as part of Farsley's Christmas Lights Switch On.

    This annual event attracts over 8000 visitors to Farsley each year and 2024's attendees can expect to see the likes of giant swans, hedgehogs and insects; all made out of willow and paper and magically lit from within as part of Farsley's first ever large-scale Lantern Parade. 

About Powerhouse

Grumpy's is working closely with West SILC's post 16 department 'Powerhouse' who are a local SEN college based in Farsley.

  • Both Grumpy’s & Scrap have been involved in Powerhouse's ‘Learn to Earn’ curriculum and have been so inspired by the college and its students that they were keen to put them at the centre of the festival's activities.

    So far the students have created the illustrations for the events’ branding and have also produced a number of t-shirt designs around the theme of Urban Wildlife which are available to order on Grumpy's website. All profits raised from the designs will go towards the costs of this year's Lantern Festival. 

    Grumpy's hopes that Powerhouse's involvement in the project will prove to have a valuable impact on the students’ sense of community whilst encouraging more local businesses and organisations to offer the college valuable work-based learning experiences and resources.

About the workshops 

A series of both adult focused and child-friendly Workshops to produce the lanterns, sculptures and props for the Festival have been planned throughout the year between July and November.

  • Children who attend the upcoming workshops held in Scrap at Sunny Bank Mills in July and October will have the unique experience decorating their own fox and owl shaped light-up headdresses that can be worn during the parade. Recommended for children aged 6 and above, the ticketed workshops cost £5 per child. Accompanying adults and under 2s can attend for free.

    We’re also keen to hear from anyone who would like to volunteer to help out on the night of the parades!

    We’ll need folk to help carry the lanterns and man the food bank donations stall at the Lights Switch On.

    On the night of the Food Drive we’d also love as many locals to join us a possible to help in the parade and to collect donations.