After three hugely successful years, Queen’s Hall have confirmed the Hexham Lantern Parade will return this year, taking place on Friday 15 November from 6pm.
Members of Gateway into the Community are working with artists Deni Riach and Ruth Thompson to create a giant lantern which will lead this year’s parade.
Sharyn Castelow, Day Service Manager, Gateway into The Community, explained: “We are all looking forward to working with Deni and meeting Ruth to combine our many talents and be part of the lantern parade. We can’t wait to get started on our creation and look forward to lighting up our town.”
For the first time ever, Groove and Glow will kick-off this year’s proceedings with timeless disco hits. After parading through Hexham, the vibrant, “glowing disco on wheels” will lead people to the Shambles inviting everyone to join in, dance, and light-up the night!
Groove and Glow is an outdoor interactive promenade performance by Curious Arts, a leading LGBTQIA+ arts organisation in the North East, which features a custom-built LED trike equipped with a built-in sound system that plays disco tracks guaranteed to get people dancing.
The Hexham Lantern Parade by Queen’s Hall Arts with the support of the North East Combined Authority. It was first created as part of Hexham’s High Street Heritage Action Zone, which helped fund the first three years of the event.
Queen’s Hall Artistic Director Katy Taylor said, “We are delighted to be bringing the Lantern Parade back for the fourth year running as well as to be welcoming Groove and Glow to Hexham! With lots of other surprises to look forward to along the way, it’s guaranteed to better than ever. We know the parade has fast become something families look forward to - and can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on this year!”
Phil Douglas, Chief Executive Officer at Curious Arts, commented: “We’re looking forward to bringing Groove and Glow, our new touring work, to the Hexham Lantern Parade this November. This glowing, interactive disco on wheels will kick off the festivities, bringing people together through music, dance, and community spirit. We can’t wait to light up the night with everyone!”
Free to attend, this year’s event will start at 6pm on Friday 15 November at the Bandstand in Sele Park, Hexham.
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