Calne Light Parade

Photograph's all taken by Matt, on his mobile phone because we all forgot to bring cameras and yeah, that's me and Mum ^^

We all went down to the Calne Light Parade and Fayre last night! Matt and my first time, Mum and Dad's second.

It was bloody fun - the whole town turned out for it. Hundreds of people were out with their families, partaking of the gift stalls, the hot beverage stalls and the food stalls (we all had some Gluvine and roasted-on-a-spit pork with apple sauce sandwiches) there was even some kareoke going on outside the bigger pub!



The thing started off with a Girls Dance Troop who deserve points for bravery, even if their choreographer does need to be shot. Following them was the Children's Choir (with a far too overenthusiastic Choir Mistress-Pianist!) And then three Fire Poi dancers - one on stilts (whom amusingly had to nick Matt's lighter, because they'd forgotten their own!)



The Parade itself started coming through a little after that - and bloody hell, it was HUGE. Hundreds of kids, a great many local groups, had all pitched in to make bloody hundreds of different types of lanterns for the occasion! There were the obligatory stars and angels, the many and varied box and pyramid lanterns, mermaids, sea creatures, penguins, mice and a bloody huge galleon style ship carried by members of the Angling Association of Calne (or was it Angling Society?)



Santa was in there on his white-horse drawn sleigh, with accompanying elves of course! Bells were rung and a drumming troop played some brilliant rhythms, all stomping and loud - one of their group was dancing around (like the Fool from a Morris Dance troop) with an enormous hat on with a Christmas tree on top!



When it had all calmed down a bit, Santa and the drummers got the crowd to count down from ten - and the lights were turned on for the whole town. Some of the lanterns were given candles and let fly, like miniature hot-air balloons (one got stuck in a tree) to much applause.

Over-all it was a bloody brilliant evening - and it was so nice to see such an old pagan tradition still being celebrated (even if most of them don't realise that's what it is) - it was even amusing to be repeatedly bopped on the head by a flashing butterfly wand being wielded by a pink-enrobed toddler XD

Definitely doing it again next year - and Mom and I have plans to make lanterns of our own ^^