The annual Valentine lamp lighting ceremony is being held on Saturday 14th February at the top of Catherine Hill.
The ceremony sees Frome’s famous Valentine gas lamp lit by Eddie Young, the lamplighter, who will be dressed in period costume and light the lamp using a traditional lamplighter’s pole and read the dedication to St Valentine.
Selected poems, on the theme of love, will be performed by the members of the Frome Writers Collective Poetry Group.
The event will start at 5.30pm when a Queen of Hearts rocket will be set off and explode in a red heart shape in the sky above the lamp.
Organisers say, “Join us for a glass of mulled wine in front of the lamp with accordion music by Tom Woolman.”
People are also encouraged to bring their lanterns along to the ceremony. “If you have a lantern, perhaps Love Heart or a Dove lantern from the ‘Light the Night’ workshops, please bring it along,” say the organisers.
The annual tradition of the Valentine Gas Lamp Lighting Ceremony has been celebrated since 1993. Last year Reg Ling, its creator and renovator, handed over the lamp lighting duties to Eddie, who will be lighting the lamp again on Saturday 14th February.
The Friends of the Valentine Gas Lamp support the preservation of the lamp and organise the lamp lighting ceremonies. This is a free event but donations are welcome.
Organisers say, “We would like to thank Frome Town Council and Somerset Lighting for their support in the ongoing maintenance of the site, the lamp and the lamp-lighting ceremonies.”
If you would like to help out at the event, please contact the Friends at info@fromevalentinelamp.co.uk.
For further information visit fromevalentinelamp.co.uk or Instagram.com/fromevalentinelamp
Facebook – Friends of the Valentine Lamp.
Pictured: Reg Ling handing over duties to new lamplighter Eddie Young last year.
