FROME’s annual Light the Night event saw hundreds of local people parade from St John’s Church to Frome Market Place with willow and paper lanterns designed on an ice theme.
The parade took place on Friday 24th November and was followed by the switching on of Frome’s Christmas lights at 7pm.
Led by Jamma de Samba, the parade featured lanterns made in workshops by Oakfield Academy, who made penguins; Selwood Academy, who made snow people; and Frome Families for the Future who made Lumi the otter and some fish, as part of their river project. “No spoilers, but we will see Lumi again next year,” says a spokesperson for Frome Town Council.
There was musical entertainment from Frome Town Band, Rock Choir and the Frukes, who between them provided plenty of Frome Christmas cheer to start the festive season.
A new addition to the festivities this year was the traditional Ukrainian song Shchedryk, sang by Yuliia and Olha from Frome’s Ukrainian community, better known in the UK as Carol of the Bells.
This touching performance featured the two women on the balcony in traditional Ukrainian festive dress, for which the large crowd fell silent.
The Ragana Fire Collective’s fire dancing display warmed the sub-zero temperatures and the Frome Independent’s A Little Night Market provided festive food and drink until 9pm.
A pupil from St Louis First School, Otis, ably assisted the Frome mayor cllr Philip Campagna, in turning on the Christmas lights. “Otis was chosen to assist because the mayor was very impressed by a letter that he wrote, asking him to help make Frome a plastic bag-free town.
Frome Town councillor Anne Hills said, “The annual lantern parade is always a wonderful coming together of Frome’s community for this distinctive, creative celebration. Many thanks to Frome Light the Night for all their work before the event at community and school workshops, helping people make their beautiful lanterns.
“Our mayor did a fantastic job as MC for the night and as always, the entertainment before and after the parade was excellent. It was great to have the big man, Father Christmas, on the balcony too; wonderful that he had time to visit Frome when he must be so busy at this time of year! The Christmas lights are lit and the festive season has officially begun.”
As part of the event, local cancer counselling charity, We Hear You (WHY), hosted a fundraising Santa’s Grotto, giving children the chance to meet Father Christmas. The grotto raised £320 for WHY.
Volunteers from local charities Active and in Touch served drinks and snacks at St John’s Church and as usual, a bucket collection was held in aid of Frome’s Christmas Get Together, a welcoming space with refreshments and entertainment for anyone who would like to come together for company on Christmas Day.
To find out more about the event or volunteer to help, visit:
https://www.bigchristmasgettogether.org/ or email: fromechristmas@gmail.com
For information about all upcoming events in Frome, visit: https://www.discoverfrome.co.uk.
