Leamington's Lantern Parade heading to Jephson Gardens this year

Hundreds of people enjoying the Leamington Lantern Parade.

The Leamington Lantern Parade will be seen in a new light this year as it switches to its inspirational home of Jephson Gardens.

The festive parade that lights up the town with a bright display of lanterns was inspired by The Lights of Leamington – the annual show of illuminations which attracted hundreds of thousands to Jephson Gardens for a decade until 1961.

Due to restoration works taking place at the Pump Room Gardens, organisers BID Leamington have decided to give the parade a new twist for this year and shine a light on the town’s past.

Alison Shaw, project manager at BID Leamington, said: “The idea for the Leamington Lantern Parade came from people telling us about the illuminations that used to be in Jephson Gardens in the 1950s and 1960s.

Stilt-walking 'snowflakes' with a Pikachu lantern at Leamington Lantern Parade.

“Hundreds of thousands of people visited the town over the decade to see the lights totally transform the gardens. People wanted to bring back the illuminations and we came up with the idea of lanterns lighting up the town.

“The Lantern Parade has become a much-loved date in the town’s calendar, particularly with families, and with the works taking place at the Pump Room Gardens this year, we felt it was a great opportunity to take it back to where it all began – and to a new level.”

BID Leamington is re-naming the parade 'Luminate Leamington' for this year and is planning to fill Jephson Gardens with a host of illuminated installations, and is now inviting local community groups to get in touch with ideas on how they could help light up the park.

Luminate Leamington will be held on the afternoon of Sunday December 2.

Visitors will be able to wander around Jephson Gardens and enjoy the displays and activities leading up to the procession of lanterns around the park at 5pm, finishing with Christmas carols at the Clock Tower.