Another memorable evening of entertainment awaits as the annual Dartford Festival of Light prepares to mark its ninth year.

Organised by Cohesion Plus in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council, the popular celebration brings the town’s communities together through the arts.

Sky Arts has delivered creative workshops in nine schools ahead of Friday night, with 450 youngsters having benefitted.

The schools involved this year are Our Lady of Hartley, Joyden Wood Junior, Temple Hill Primary, Oakfield Primary Academy, West Hill Primary, Dartford Bridge Primary, Sedleys Primary, St Anselm’s Catholic Primary and Brent Primary.

It all gets underway in the High Street at 6pm, with performances by Brass Volcanoes Jazz Band, Folk in Beats African and Asian Drumming Collective and colourful Stilt Walkers.

Entertainment will also take place outside Dartford railway station, where Bloco Fogo will welcome commuters with some high energy samba drumming.

From 6.30pm the schoolchildren will take centre stage for a lantern parade through the town, led by the Mayor of Dartford Cllr Rosanna Currans, council leader Cllr Jeremy Kite and Cohesion Plus artistic director Gurvinder Sandher.

It will start on One Bell Corner in the High Street, then weave into Hythe Street, the Orchard Shopping Centre and Market Street, then to Central Park where it will climax by the band stand with presentations, performances and a fireworks and lights display.

The fun wraps up at around 7.30pm and Mr Sandher is confident it will prove to be another popular event.

“I am very grateful for the ongoing support provided by Dartford council and local schools, which has allowed the Dartford Festival of Light to become one of the key annual arts celebrations in the borough,” he said.

“I believe events like this are important not only to showcase the positive contributions the arts can make in bringing communities together, but also as a means of celebrating our shared values which make Dartford the borough that it is.”

As well as the support of the council, the festival is also backed by Arts Council England.

Funding is provided by Cohesion Plus, Arts Council England, Dartford council, Kent County Council and Kent Equality Cohesion Council.