Latest news with #FestivalofLight
Pembrokeshire Herald
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Cardigan's giant lantern parade promises to be brighter than ever in 2025!
Cardigan's Giant Lantern Parade preparations have begun in earnest after Small World Theatre launched a fundraiser for this year's theme of 'Eisteddfod Y Garreg Las'. Planned to take place on Friday December 5, the organisers have this year set themselves a £5,000 crowdfunding goal through Localgiving. 'We've submitted an application to Ceredigion County Council for the costs to organis and create Gwyl Y Golau / Festival of Light, and we're proposing that we recreate the Light Trail to extend the joy of the Parade,' explained director Ann Shrosbree. 'Last year's Trail was beautiful and included lighting up and adding giant stars to Cardigan Castle and The Guildhall. And this helped make Cardigan one of the finest festive destinations in Wales in the run up to Christmas.' Financially supporting this crowd funder will enable Small World to levy the funds to run lantern-making workshops to keep the parade at the heart of the community. And local businesses are looking forward to joining in with yet another major event in Cardigan's bumper calendar. 'We had great fun making the otter giant lantern last year with the help of Small World's Artists,' commented Vicky Walker who runs the popular 'Mundos' gift shop in Pendre. ' The otter took pride of place in our Christmas window, entertaining our existing customers as well as attracting lots of new ones to Mundos. A competition to 'name the otter' raised £300 for this year's lantern parade and we're delighted to see that the enthusiasm for the Parade is starting early this year.' Ska and reggae bands 'The Chalk Outlines' and 'Bad Bananas' kick off the appeal with a summer fundraiser on Saturday August 1, and people are being urged to buy their £12 tickets in advance to avoid disappointment through Small World's website. Also looking forward to it is Ceredigion County Councillor Clive Davies. 'Cardigan has come to rely on the Giant Lantern Parade happening each year,' he said. 'Over 300 lanterns were made last year as well as giant lanterns and the postponed event attracted 11,000 visitors, despite the wintery weather. It's important to support our local creatives who work so hard behind the scenes to make the magic happen.' If anyone has any fundraising ideas, or is keen to volunteer at the Parade, they are asked to get in touch with Sam Vicary via sam@ Anyone wishing to donate, should visit Small World Theatre's website.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Traders raise funds to save fantastic Mr Fox
A campaign to keep a fantastic fox sculpture at a local market is gathering momentum. Fantastic Mr Fox, complete with his fiddle, is currently in the courtyard of Cardigan's Guildhall Market. It was designed and created by locally renowned willow artist Michelle Cain and loaned to the courtyard during Cardigan's Festival of Light last December. (Image: Linda Clulow) With the festival long over the giant fox sculpture is due to be imminently removed. However, the traders at the recently renovated market hall, with the support of the market management, are raising money to buy the sculpture for the community and keep him permanently. 'We have seen since his instalment the joy he brings, not only to the traders, but our customers, locals and visitors,' said Jana Davidson who runs her Leafy Lion stall at the market. 'Whether it's just admiring him to group selfies, Mr Fox has had a huge impact and we would love him to stay as a fabulous asset and attraction for the town.' The market traders need £2,500 to purchase and maintain the fox so that many more visitors can enjoy him. Any donation, no matter how small, would be gratefully appreciated. Anyone interested in helping the campaign can donate by visiting the JustGiving page, linked above or by popping into the market and putting a donation in a collection box. There are various collection boxes dotted around the two floors of the market and Mr Fox has one too. Some traders are also helping to raise funds from their stalls, for example Cardigan Bay Quilts in the upper market level has fabric bundles for sale ,with 100 per cent of the money being donated to the Fox Fund. 'Please help us to save our fox,' added Jana.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Let there be LIGHT: Edison Fest of Grand Parade 2025 dazzles Fort Myers
The Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade finally arrived Saturday night after two weeks of shows and exhibits leading up to the big event. The streets of Fort Myers were packed with spectators who came to see the dazzling floats, the toe-tapping marching bands, the daredevil motorcyclists and the glitzy young royals from the imaginary land of "Edisonia." They cheered and clapped as more than 150 parade units passed by on Cleveland Avenue and through the streets of downtown Fort Myers. Highlights included more than 50 decorated, illuminated floats; fire engines and police cars with their sirens blaring and lights flashing; 16 high-school marching bands; the popular daredevil traffic officers of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Motorcycle Drill Team; and the parade's grand marshal: UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz, the former mixed-martial-arts champion who now owns the Cape Coral restaurant Tito's Cantina. The big parade is part of the annual Edison Festival of Light, a two-week celebration that began in February 1938 to honor Fort Myers' most famous winter resident, Thomas Edison. The annual fest includes hymn sings, concerts, parades and car shows. But the biggest draw is always the Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade, which attracts thousands of spectators to downtown Fort Myers every year. Crowd estimates go as high as about 200,000. It's one of the biggest night parades in the Southeastern United States, and also the biggest and longest-running parade in Southwest Florida. The Edison Fest parade: All about the Fort Myers tradition and why people love it Why the Mexican dancers skipped the parade: Popular dance group blames Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 or email crunnells@ Follow or message on Facebook(@ Instagram and Threads (@crunnells1) and X (@CharlesRunnells). (This story has been updated to include additional photos and videos.) This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Edison parade in Fort Myers: Photos, video of the Festival of Light event
