ASHTON will be the home of this year’s Northern Lights Christmas Lantern Parade that heralds the start of Christmas light switch-ons.
Saturday, November 19 will see the town follow Denton, Stalybridge and Hyde in hosting the event, which kicks off festive celebrations.
Now community groups, individuals and businesses are being invited to get involved – with free sessions enabling residents to play a starring role in the event by creating the lanterns for the parade and carrying them on the night or by being part of the stage show.
People booking on to the ticketed sessions will be supplied with everything they need as well as support from a professional artist to create their pieces.
Tameside Council has also appealed for musically talented residents to step forward and be part of the fantastic stage show which will start at 3pm on November 19.
The authority’s assistant executive member for culture, heritage and digital inclusivity, Cllr Sangita Patel, said: “We want to make this year the best yet and as it is a community-based event, we want to give everyone a chance to be involved in the event – whether it’s in the parade or on the stage or just coming along to watch on the day.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to show off our civic pride and it’s great that we can support local businesses across our town centres with a vibrant range of festive events taking place not just in Ashton but across the borough.”
What a fantastic light display on the 19th of November 2022. It was beautiful, my granddaughter and I only just saw it by accident going back to the car taking my baby granddaughter home . My Daughter I left to watch the light switch on and Father Christmas arrive, she didn’t see a thing she was stood at the stage watching the great artist appear everyone works so hard to make a good show for everyone. It’s just a shame nobody on Ashton Market got to see the light parade that stopped at the town hall steps. When I asked my daughter about the lights she didn’t know what I was talking about. They announced that the parade had set off from Ashton old baths and was coming up from Stanford Street. Then nothing. I just couldn’t get over her not noticing the beautiful lights. I think it was shocking that the light parade didn’t go over to the stage. And everyone else got to see all the wonderful work that I saw.
Marjorie, your daughter needed to use her eyes and feet to move closer to the trail. Does she have special needs?