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A full day of festivities is planned again this year on Saturday 21 November with an enchanting lantern parade along The Grove, a market where you will be able to make a start on your present shopping, a Christmas Grotto with the opportunity to take a selfie with Santa, musical performances, and gymnastic and dance displays, plus the excitement of the big switch-on by Father Christmas at 17:00. The full running order will be announced in the autumn.

We’d love for you to take part in our community lantern parade and we hope as many families as possible will join in. Lantern-making workshops have been taking place throughout November, facilitated by Cecil Green Arts. However, if you’ve missed the workshops, you can always make a lantern at home (with plenty of free ideas available online) and bring it along, as everyone is welcome. Please meet at Ilkley’s Memorial Gardens from 16:20 on Saturday 21 November, ready to parade at approximately 16:40. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Father Christmas will then lead the countdown to the switch-on at 17:00.