Preparations are under way for the fourth Dartford Festival of Light, which takes place next week.

The parade through the town centre will involve 11 schools from the town and feature about 500 pupils.

It starts at 7pm on Friday, October 19, and will be followed by a concert from 8pm at the bandstand in Central Park.

Music will include DJ Stan Lee King and a Jessie J tribute act.

The festival has been organised by arts organisation Cohesion Plus with support from the Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Dartford council and KCC.

It aims to celebrate all things British in a year that included the Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics and the Paralympics.

Organiser Gurvinder Sandher, director of Kent Equality Cohesion Council, said: "We’ve had a great British year and I hope the community of Dartford will come out and support this celebration, bringing along their union flags.

"I am pleased the Dartford Messenger is one our partners and is supporting our campaign."

The schools taking part include Fleetdown Junior School, Sedleys, Saint Anselm’s, Westgate, Joydens Wood, Temple Hill, Brent, Sutton at Hone, Dartford Grammar School for Boys, West Hill, and Oakfield.

The evening will finish with a rendition of the national anthem and a light show that takes place on a specially-constructed sky dome.