December 8, 2014 10.57 am This story is over 111 months old

Lincoln children prepare for annual lantern parade

Light up procession: Youths around Lincoln are getting ready for a special parade through the city centre this week.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Youths around Lincoln are getting ready for a special parade through the city centre next week.

The annual Lincoln BIG Lantern Parade will take place on Thursday, December 18, evening, with children from Westgate Academy.

The procession will start at Cornhill at 6pm, joined by representatives from the Lincoln District Scouts, who will carry the Peace Light – which came to Britain’s shores over 14 years ago.

It will then move up through the High Street, The Strait and Steep Hill, and finish in Castle Hill in front of the Visitor Information Centre.

They will then gather around a nativity set and take part in a carol service.

The Peace Light from Bethlehem campaign was originally organised by the Austrian Broadcasting Company and was part of a large charitable relief mission, Light into Darkness, for children in need.

Scouts and Guides in various countries have helped the light travel through 30 European countries, and is now moving into areas such as North America, Mexico and Canada.

The Peace Light in the Lincoln procession will go to St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Bailgate, where it will light a candle.

It will then light numerous lanterns which local scouts, cubs and explorers will take back to their own groups plus churches and other organisations in their communities.

Lincoln BIG Events & Promotions Manager Michael Armstrong said: “The Lantern Parade is a symbolic feature of the city’s festive celebrations and the young people involved really love taking part.

“Staging the parade on a Thursday evening, close to Christmas, underlines the special meaning behind this event and also means it can be enjoyed by as many people as possible.”