Local residents are being given the opportunity to light-up Carlisle this Christmas, as part of a new City Council event.

A Starlight Lantern Procession will be held on Thursday, 9 December and is set to be one of the highlights of Carlisle’s festive programme. The free community event will include a procession into the city centre, meeting at Devonshire Walk car park, next to Carlisle Castle, at 5.45pm.

The procession will be led by three wise men on camels and a Christmas Carnival band. Street entertainment, including a steel band and a Christmas carol sing-a-long, will then continue in the city centre and will finish around 7.30pm.

It is hoped that there will be a spectacular display of lanterns in the procession and local residents are being given the opportunity to make their own and bring them along on the night. A series of lantern-making workshops have been arranged by Carlisle City Council to help groups, families and individuals join in and take part.

A workshop, open to all, will be held in Botcherby Community Centre, Victoria Road, on Saturday, 20 November, between 9.30am and 1.30pm.

All materials for the lanterns will be provided and there will be no charge for the tuition, which will be led by Chrysalis Arts. Anyone wishing to take part should bring along a pair of pliers (for cutting the withies and wire) and a pair of scissors.

To book a place on one of the sessions, please call Carlisle City Council on 01228 817359 or email gillb@carlisle.gov.uk. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• Plans are well underway to make Carlisle the best Christmas experience in the North. A 35 foot high tree has been chosen from Grizedale Forest and will form the spectacular centre-piece of Carlisle’s festive decorations. This will be transported to Carlisle in time for the Light Switch On event on Sunday, 21 November.

• For the first time, the city will also enjoy a traditional ‘Cumbrian Christmas Market’. This will be held between 25-28 November and will include wooden chalet stalls selling the finest Cumbrian produce. This will be followed by a Continental Christmas Market between 1-5 December.