Belgrave Lantern Festival

Jellyfish lantern, Belgrave Lantern Parade 2013
Belgrave Lantern Parade crowd

The Belgrave Lantern Festival (Belgrave Lantern Parade) is an annual celebration of the winter solstice, through community and creativity with a display of hundreds of homemade lanterns.[1] The event takes place in the main street of Belgrave from around 5pm - 7:30pm[2] and attracts thousands of visitors.[3] There are many lantern making workshops held before the parade from around March[4] at the Belgrave Library and other places such as primary schools.[5] The parade is open for everyone who has brought a lantern, and there are entertainers such as belly dancers, fire twirlers and the Ruccis Circus that perform before the parade begins.[6] The lanterns that are brought are a range of sizes, with some so big their owners have to wear them.[7] People start arriving in Belgrave from about 4 pm where they can enjoy bands, choirs and food stalls. The people wishing to take part in the actual parade part of the night are asked to gather in Hayes car park by 5 pm.[8] After the parade, Belgrave Library hosts storytime for children at 7 pm with other activities as well[9] such as face painting[10] There are some lanterns that are remembered by the annual parade-goers such as a Dalek and a TARDIS from the british television show Doctor Who. Some other memorable ones are the fauna inspired lanterns such as the cockatoo, dragonfly and frog.[11]

This festival was held virtually in 2020-21.

  1. ^ "Belgrave Lantern Parade - 2020 Festival Dates, Times & Location, VIC". Dandenong Ranges Point. 2020-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  2. ^ "Thousands expected to brave cold for Belgrave Lantern Parade". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2016-06-17. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  3. ^ "10,000 people celebrating the winter solstice". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2016-06-17. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  4. ^ "Lantern festival provides light relief". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2016-06-17. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  5. ^ "Festival lights the way". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  6. ^ "Lantern parade lights up winter solstice". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2016-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  7. ^ "Imagination lights up parade". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2014-06-03. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  8. ^ "Imagination lights up parade". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2014-06-03. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  9. ^ "Kids get colourful for street parade". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2013-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  10. ^ "Belgrave Lantern Parade Information & Details". Dandenong Ranges Point. 2020-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-02.
  11. ^ "Thousands brave the cold for winter solstice lantern parade". www.abc.net.au. 2016-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-02.