Festival of light in Newbury
The procession began outside the Methodist Church, Northbrook Street, at 4:30pm, but crowds started to form an hour or so before, so eager were participants to get their lanterns to the front.
An estimated 1,500 watched as children and parents alike proudly paraded their lanterns through the town and into Market Place, led by brass band Tongues of Fire aboard a twinkling milk-float.
In recent weeks, workshops had been held at Newbury Library and New Greenham Arts Centre to show children how to make the traditional pyramid-shaped lantern, which made up the bulk of the parade, but there were also Christmas-themed lanterns, such as the snowman made by Cressida Faithfull, aged eight.
Bella Robinson, aged seven, was also excited to take part in the parade for the first time, delving deep into her arts and crafts box to make her colourful lantern decorated with bright flowers.
Her father Andrew said the family only moved to the area five weeks before, and the event was the perfect way to see Christmas in.
“Bella’s really excited,” he said. “We had the lights switch-on a couple of weeks ago and now this, she’s very happy.”
It was the fourth year of the parade organised by the Corn Exchange and funded by the Greenham Common Trust as part of the outdoor arts programme.
Spokeswoman Juliet Dale said: “We are really happy, it was really good. Everybody that I spoke to really enjoyed it.
“It feels Christmassy and that’s really nice.”
The evening ended with a selection of lanterns being displayed in the market place and fireworks.