On the 22nd of Nov at 5.30pm, thousands of people gathered with much anticipation in Trenance Gardens by the boating lake to see the first ever Newquay lantern parade in Trenance Valley. At the same time another thousand people gathered in Trenance Car Park, by the play park, with hundreds of beautiful lit, willow lanterns, getting ready to parade through Trenance Valley. All the Newquay schools were represented and other members of the community and businesses too. Some people were there with lanterns made a week earlier in the annual community lantern making workshop held at Trenance Cottages which 400 people attended and where 200 lanterns were made. It was the 2024 Newquay Lantern Parade and Trees and Tales Light Switch-On events, which were the final outcome of months of planning and preparation from the event partners, Experience Newquay, Blystra Arts, Newquay BID, Trenance Cottages and the Garden Café. It all started with the decision to relocate the parade down to Trenance Valley a year earlier. With activity stepping up in Nov, through a series of lantern making workshops across the Newquay schools and then with the community, all leading to this one much anticipated event. As the parade walked off, led by festival band, The Horners and two stilt walkers from Hotchpotch Performance, there was an air of excitement and joy in the atmosphere which continued to be felt throughout the event. The sheer numbers of people who attended, much higher than in previous years in the town centre and many more than expected, gave the event a vibrant and dynamic feel, with community spirit in abundance.
The new location created some issues getting people across roads and around the whole parade route, but despite these teething problems which the organisers will iron out in future years the event was a resounding success, with so many people coming up to the event partners since the 22nd excited and inspired by this reinvigorated autumn offering in the town. It really felt like the festive season kicked off in style with this celebration, which had a more Celtic, pagan and earth focussed feel, enhanced by the new location in Trenance Valley, a darker, more natural, wooded location, where the low light of the lanterns, enhanced by the darkness, shimmered through the expectant crowds, illuminating the faces of the children and adults who carried them as they weaved their way through Trenance Gardens and around the boating lake.
The organisers, like everyone were in awe of the wonderful Newquay community, who once again came out in their droves to celebrate the start of the festive period and winter together. Newquay truly is a special place, and on the 22nd of November, Trenance Valley, a sometimes-overlooked treasure at the heart of the town was for once, centre stage in the celebrations.
