Coming from a generation where we were no strangers to sticky back plastic and washing up liquid bottles I found myself at the Carleton Grange Club last Wednesday evening. Joining in with a number of members of the Pontefract Lionesses, family members and other volunteers with withies, masking tape, tissue and pva glue and a variety of clippers pliers on the last of a series of evening and afternoon sessions at the Grange or at the Castle visitor centre making lanterns for tonights lantern festival.
Before anybody goes off on a diatribe about setting fire to lanterns or releasing them to the night sky, this is no such event you have completely got the wrong end of the stick . The lanterns include tiny electric night lights so we won't see the great fire of Pontefract tonight. Or at least not from our activity.
What will be happening is a lighting up session at the castle, a procession up to the Market Place and a final procession to the Friarwood Valley Gardens and hot drinks to celebrate the second Pontefract Lantern Festival.
Last year there were 300 people this evening who knows. But I will be there with one of the lanterns that I made and there are spares available if you have not made one yet.
So thanks to all the people that have made this happen. Jeannette Morgan, Bernie Weston and all the Lionesses, Ian Downes at the Castle, the Neighbourhood Policing Team who will be riding shotgun or at least helping with traffic safety. Finally the Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens for their hospitality tonight. Not forgetting the Pontefract Councillors who signed of the application for funds for materials for the Lantern Workshops.
I hope to see as many you as can make it?
See you there?
UPDATED++++++++++++++++++++++
Brilliant evening. short sharp heavy shower at 7pm but had stopped by 7.20, procession grew and grew and set off with an advance guard from the neighbourhood policing team who kept us safe!
Processed up Horsefair, pausing at the Town Hall and looking back several hundred with hundreds of lanterns sparkling in the night, There is a photo on my Facebook page, onwards up Salter Row then from Cornmarket into Beastfair on into the market place, back to Pontefract Town Hall, down Gillygate onto Southgate and down a candle lit pram path into a magical Friarwood Valley Gardens.
This was the second Festival, next year will be even better with lots more fancy lanterns and other groups joining in.
Well done Pontefract Lionesses you have really started something!
Before anybody goes off on a diatribe about setting fire to lanterns or releasing them to the night sky, this is no such event you have completely got the wrong end of the stick . The lanterns include tiny electric night lights so we won't see the great fire of Pontefract tonight. Or at least not from our activity.
What will be happening is a lighting up session at the castle, a procession up to the Market Place and a final procession to the Friarwood Valley Gardens and hot drinks to celebrate the second Pontefract Lantern Festival.
Last year there were 300 people this evening who knows. But I will be there with one of the lanterns that I made and there are spares available if you have not made one yet.
So thanks to all the people that have made this happen. Jeannette Morgan, Bernie Weston and all the Lionesses, Ian Downes at the Castle, the Neighbourhood Policing Team who will be riding shotgun or at least helping with traffic safety. Finally the Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens for their hospitality tonight. Not forgetting the Pontefract Councillors who signed of the application for funds for materials for the Lantern Workshops.
I hope to see as many you as can make it?
See you there?
UPDATED++++++++++++++++++++++
Brilliant evening. short sharp heavy shower at 7pm but had stopped by 7.20, procession grew and grew and set off with an advance guard from the neighbourhood policing team who kept us safe!
Processed up Horsefair, pausing at the Town Hall and looking back several hundred with hundreds of lanterns sparkling in the night, There is a photo on my Facebook page, onwards up Salter Row then from Cornmarket into Beastfair on into the market place, back to Pontefract Town Hall, down Gillygate onto Southgate and down a candle lit pram path into a magical Friarwood Valley Gardens.
This was the second Festival, next year will be even better with lots more fancy lanterns and other groups joining in.
Well done Pontefract Lionesses you have really started something!
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