Cardigan will be transformed into a glowing winter woodland with the return of the much- loved Cardigan Giant Lantern Parade on Friday 11 December at 7pm.

Giant illuminated puppets, lanterns and live music will fill the streets, bringing the community and visitors together for a spectacular and creative celebration with Small World Theatre.

The organisers have decided the theme this year will celebrate the magic of the forest, with illuminated tree sculptures, extraordinary forest creature lanterns, and mysterious plants that thrive beneath the canopy.

The parade will shine a light on the importance of protecting and restoring temperate rainforests, some of the UK’s rarest and most precious woodland habitats, and the restoration work taking place to help them flourish for future generations.

This year the Cardigan Giant Lantern Parade is funded by The Wildlife Trusts, Community Foundation Wales, a Healthier Communities Grant from CAVO, The National Lottery Community Fund, Cardigan Town Council and The Black Lion, Cardigan.

Lantern
Cardigan Giant Lantern Parade (Karel Jasper)

The organisers, wish to extend their thanks and hope that a public fundraising campaign will help to meet the costs.

Caitlin Kennedy, Communications & Communities Lead at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Lanterns inspired by native trees, extraordinary forest creatures and mysterious plants - how imaginative is that! Supporting this festival is such a cool opportunity to share the creative power of temperate rainforests. After all these mossy woods have inspired people for millennia. Cardigan is blessed with some beautiful fragments of rainforest nearby and we need all sorts of approaches to expand what’s left. So, it’s an honour to be involved with the Lantern Parade and festivities this year to help reconnect people to this precious habitat.”

The annual parade is a highlight of Cardigan’s festive calendar, attracting thousands of residents and visitors to enjoy its unique combination of giant puppetry, community-made lanterns and live performance.

A spokesperson for Small World Theatre said: “Our giant puppets and lanterns bring people together, this year’s support has come from community-focused funders, as well as The Black Lion and The Wildlife Trusts. We hope the parade will inspire people to look more closely at the natural world around them and discover the importance of protecting these precious woodland habitats.”

Local shops and businesses are invited to take part in Business Lantern Making sessions on 20 and 27 November from 5.30pm - 8.30pm, to create nature-inspired lanterns for their Christmas windows and be a crucial part of the festive Light Trail throughout December.

Public Lantern Making sessions are across the weekend 28 - 29 November from 10am - 3pm. Booking is essential and places are sought after.

The Lantern Parade on 11 December will set off from Pendre at 7pm, making its way towards the Quay accompanied by the vibrant rhythms of Samba Doc and Jake Madhatter.

A low-noise fireworks display is planned for around 8pm, before the parade returns along the High Street. The evening’s celebrations will culminate in a lively drumming finale on the steps of Cardigan Guildhall, in front of the town’s Christmas tree, bringing the festivities to an exciting close.