Lantern characters march to illuminate the town

Ashbourne is preparing for a magical Christmas event as hundreds of lantern creations take to the streets. The lanterns, crafted from willow and paper, have been transformed into imaginative figures such as jellyfish, gingerbread men, mice, and even a dragon for the Ashbourne Christmas Lantern Spectacular.

The parade will feature a total of 300 lantern characters and will begin at St Oswald's Church at 18:30 GMT on Friday. Steve McQueen, a director at Ashbourne Arts, one of the organizers of the event, described Ashbourne as "a small town with a big tradition."

Each year, new lanterns are crafted specifically for the parade, while previous designs are stored for reuse when possible. The creation process started in October with contributions from local schoolchildren, scout groups, and army trainees.

The procession is scheduled to reach the marketplace Christmas tree after 19:00, where attendees can join in singing carols around the tree. Road closures will be in effect along the parade route from 17:00 and may last until 20:30.

Author: Olivia Parker