Trowbridge is getting ready for Christmas, with local families, schools and community groups being invited to get involved in this year’s Christmas Lights Switch-On and Lantern Parade.
Children across Trowbridge can get creative by entering the Mayor’s Christmas Card Competition, joining a free willow lantern-making workshop at Trowbridge Museum, or picking up a free kit to make their own lantern at home. Schools and community groups are also invited to join in by making larger lanterns for the parade, with long lengths of willow provided by the council.
The celebrations will culminate in the Trowbridge Christmas Lights Switch-On and Lantern Parade in Trowbridge Town Park on Friday 27 November, with entertainment on the bandstand, the Christmas lights being switched on and a lantern procession making its way towards the Civic Christmas Market.
The Mayor’s Christmas Card Competition is open to children aged 12 and under who live in, or attend school in, Trowbridge. This year’s theme is ‘The Natural World’. The winner will not only receive a £10 book voucher and a pack of Christmas cards featuring their design but will also have the special honour of switching on Trowbridge’s Christmas lights at the November event! Two runners-up will each receive a £5 book voucher. The competition closes on Thursday 29 October, giving children plenty of time to get creative.
For individual children who want to have a go at making their own lantern, Trowbridge Museum will be running free lantern-making workshops during October. The two-hour sessions will give children the chance to create a lantern they can bring to the lantern parade. The workshops will be taking place at 10:30am and 1:30pm on Friday 23 October and Wednesday 28 October.
There will also be free individual lantern-making kits available from Trowbridge Information Centre (The Civic) from Wednesday 14 October, containing willow, tissue paper and instructions so children can make their own lantern at home. The kits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, 5 kits per person.
In addition, schools and children’s community groups are being encouraged to become part of the Lantern Parade itself, with free willow and tissue paper available to help them create their own lanterns. Each participating school or group will be provided the materials needed to create one big or several smaller lanterns. Groups wishing to receive materials need to contact events@trowbridge.gov.uk by Friday 30 October.
The Christmas Lights Switch-On and Lantern Parade takes place on Friday 27 November in Trowbridge Town Park. Further details about the event will be announced closer to the date via the council’s website and social media channels.
