Stoke Lanterns 2026 returns to Stoke with lantern parade and shadow play

Stoke Lanterns 2026: Stories in the Shadows giant lantern puppets, projections, music, candle-lit lanterns, walkabout performers, a very special large-scale shadow play and more! Friday 20th March, gathering at 6.30pm outside Stoke Library, South Wolfe Street (ST4 4SZ), and will finish with a finale at the Brilliant Bamboo brownfield site on Boothen Road (ST4 4AH).

Stoke Lanterns returns for its fourth year on Friday 20th March and will include lots of magical extras! This year attendees are invited on an adventure to help Luma find the Lamp-lighter and bring the fire back to our town.

The event is run by Stoke-based arts organisation B. ARTS and brings together different community groups for a celebration of light and community on the streets of Stoke-upon-Trent.

This year’s event will feature over 120 lanterns made in community workshops – at Stoke Indoor Market, Spode Museum, Brilliant Bamboo, B. ARTS Climate Café, Ukrainian Family Support, Princes Trust and more! Each is decorated with symbols celebrating each venue. The parade will also include large-scale feature lanterns – including ‘Ember’, a fiery fox made by participants in B. ARTS masterclass workshop, and a specially commissioned ‘Lamp-lighter puppet’ made by the B. ARTS studio team, who will lead the way through the town.

The parade will be joined by Dan Fox from Sound Intervention and his two projector bikes – projecting specially commissioned illustrations along the buildings the parade passes. The projections have been created by Stoke-based artist Kidda Kinsey – and bring elements of the story and the town’s heritage to life!

The bikes will also play original music created by composer Rachel Gladwin, working with the imaginative children in Years 1 and 2 at Stoke Minster Primary School.

The short parade will go from the Library round Kingsway, past the Kings Hall, Stoke Minster and along Boothen Road, before reaching its final destination – Brilliant Bamboo Parklet. As part of the finale, audiences will see a Shadow Play (created by Kate Powell and Julie Moss, based on a short story by Holly Johnson, accompanied by live harp music from Rachel Gladwin).

Everyone is welcome to join the parade, and there will be a limited number of spare lanterns for anyone who would like to carry one in the procession. People are also welcome to join in and walk the parade without one. The lanterns are made from willow and tissue paper and are carried on bamboo poles; they are not let loose and do not harm wildlife.

“We are so excited to be working with the wonderful people of Stoke-upon-Trent and some brilliant local artists to bring Stoke Lanterns back for a fourth year. The community support for the event has been fantastic and we cannot wait to share some of the beautiful work that has been created.”

— Holly Johnson, Stoke Lanterns Co-Producer

Access: The parade will move from outside Stoke Library to the finale point at Brilliant Bamboo. The route is short and accessible (with drop kerbs). There is an accessible portaloo on site at Brilliant Bamboo and some seating. There will be a dedicated access steward at the event (in a pink high-vis marked ‘Access’).

We do expect the event to be busy and it will include an amplified soundtrack. Please do let us know any access needs we can support with, or ask any questions, by contacting Rebecca at info@b-arts.org.uk or messaging 07557 797695.

Funders: Stoke Lanterns is part of B. ARTS’ Cascade programme supported by Stoke Creates and Arts Council England, the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund (supported by the UK Government and Historic England), and the Animate 72 project funded by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.