Now in its sixth year, the magical Uralla Lantern Parade and Show is attracting more financial support than ever before.
The annual event involves people – young and old – from throughout the Uralla community in planning, constructing, and performing in this candle-lit spectacle.
The major non-government sponsor of this year’s Lantern Parade, which will be on the evening of Saturday March 31, is Uralla’s Phoenix Foundry, with New England Mutual and the G & C Foundry, Uralla, also providing significant support. Major support has come from Uralla Shire Council and the Australian Government through Festivals Australia, and there have been contributions from Uralla Bowling Club and Jobs Australia.
Andrew Parker, the President of Uralla Arts, said that the Phoenix Foundry’s generous sponsorship of the Lantern Parade demonstrated the commitment of the company to the Uralla community. He thanked the Foundry and the other sponsors and contributors for their support of an event that was giving Uralla a special place in the regional arts calendar.
This year’s Lantern Parade will once again coincide with Earth Hour. Leaving Uralla Central School at 7.15 pm, the parade will wend its illuminated way down Queen Street to arrive at Alma Park for a show, beginning at about 7.45 pm, that will combine the performing talents of local children and adults with the spectacle of lights, shadows, and puppetry.
The director of the show will be the Sydney-based environmental educator and theatre practitioner Thor Bloomfield, who has worked with the organisers, Uralla Arts, in devising the performance.
Adults and children wishing to walk with the local children in the parade will be able to buy ready-made lanterns, costing $10 each, at Uralla Central School from 4 pm on the day. Also at the school, a sausage sizzle (from 4.30 pm to 6.15 pm) will enable participants to eat before the parade musters at 6.30 pm. Earlier that day, at 3 pm in Uralla Public Library, local fabric artist, writer and storyteller Helen Evans will entertain children and their families using her unique, hand-made tactile books beautifully illustrated with sewn fabric pictures.
