26 February 2018
Festival of Cultures’ Lantern Parade to light-up Palmy
Light-filled coloured lanterns will again be parading around Palmerston North’s Square for the Festival of Cultures’
Lantern Parade on March 17. The Lantern Parade kicks off the week-long Festival of Cultures, one of the city’s longest
running community events. To add further colour to the evening, light projections will feature on a nearby building
wall.
Street performances including a Balkan-groove marching band will also add to the exciting and spectacular night. Family
entertainment and food trucks start at 7pm. The parade will leave the stage at 8.30pm and wind its way around The Square
with everyone encouraged to join in.
The talented team at REACT (Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre Trust) will be creating the new centerpiece “Year of
the Dog” lantern which will be unveiled at the parade.
REACT are hosting lantern-making workshops in the lead-up to the event. These workshops run from 28 February – 11 March
at the former Public Trust Office in the Central Library Building, 4 The Square. The workshops are free for all ages and
all materials are provided.
“We are pleased to have REACT hosting the Lantern Making Workshops again following on from last year’s successful and
engaging workshops,” says Ian Littleworth, PNCC Manager – Community Engagement. “The workshops provide a creative and
exciting space to bring your ideas to life and we encourage the community to make and bring their lanterns of any shape
or size to the parade. It is great for our community to have access to the knowledge from REACT and materials supplied
for them.
The lanterns are created from bamboo and/or willow – local sustainable resources and covered with tissue and decorated.
There are varying beliefs about the origin of lantern festivals, however it is generally accepted they are about
celebrating and cultivating positive relationships between people, families and nature.
The lantern-making workshops are being held at 4 The Square at the following times:
Wednesday28 February4pm – 8pmFriday2 March4pm – 8pmSaturday3 March10.30am – 3.30pmTuesday6 March4pm – 8pmFriday9 March4pm – 8pmSaturday10 March11am – 4pmSunday11 March11am – 4pm
ENDS