SPONSORED EDITORIAL

It’s going to be a party atmosphere this Christmas at Ashford's town centre as preparations get in full swing for the Carnival of the Baubles.

The carnival, which will take place on Saturday, December 14, will be the final spectacle of Ashford’s Illuminites - a series of creative events and spectacles taking place across the town this Christmas.

The Carnival of the Baubles is a procession of giant, illuminated baubles decorated by children from primary schools across Ashford, and is the first such event to ever take place in the town.

Members of the public will be able to join volunteers, schools and local businesses to help elevate this festive celebration that will get underway at Elwick Place and Ashford town centre from 5:30pm.

The procession will make its way up Bank Street to the Lower High Street, where it will end in a dazzling party.

A night market with hot food and drink will greet those in attendance, making it the ideal family evening.

“The reason we’ve gone for this is because carnivals are an amazing way of bringing streets to life,” said Amaya Dent from Emergency Exit Arts, who is overseeing much of the activity for the event.

“It’s a good way of focusing light on a geographical place.

“They will fill dark streets with life, music, dance and puppets and they’re also fantastic for bringing people together.

“Carnivals can also take people around streets or areas where they wouldn’t normally go which is great for local businesses too!”

Apart from the procession, there will also be extended outreach workshops to teach the community - including young people, the elderly and disabled groups - about lantern making, particularly whizzy lanterns.

Whizzy lanterns are made of willow branches and are a great, creative way of bending and manipulating shapes.

A total of six schools in the Ashford area - Willesborough Junior School, Godinton Primary School, St Michael's CEP School, St. Teresa's Catholic Primary School and John Wallis Academy - will be contributing to the procession by making their own lanterns and then handing them to Emergency Exit Arts, so they can be placed on sticks and have lights inserted in them.

On the day of the procession, the children will be returned their lanterns so they can parade them.

The dance groups and bands involved in the celebrations are Liv2dance and Samba Pelo Mar while the local businesses also weighing in on the fun are Stag Coffee, Picturehouse, Beehive, Craftship Enterprise CIC, The Glass House, Church View Tea Rooms, Salata, Gorge, Emporia, Made Inn, Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop, The Record Store and Foodhub.

Feeling left out?

You can also join in the fun by popping in to the Illumination Station to help make some lanterns!

“We’ve taken over an empty shop unit on the ground floor at the County Square Shopping Centre to run open lantern making workshops,” continued Amaya.

“It’s great fun because people can simply drop in and make things.

“Ashford residents can help contribute to making giant lanterns of different designs or they can make their own smaller ones.

“Made in Ashford, for example, have made a giant UFO bauble while Stag Coffee have created a giant stag. The big lanterns will be carried on stretchers.

“We’ve got 13 local businesses to hang baubles in their shop windows that will make an illuminated trail that aims to shine a light on local businesses.

“This carnival is going to be brilliant and something new for everyone to experience and enjoy. And we’re already planning for an even bigger carnival in 2020. Anyone with any questions can email us at info@eea.org.uk.”

The open workshops will take place on Monday, December 9, Tuesday, December 10, Wednesday, December 11, Thursday, December 12 and Friday, December 13 between 1pm and 4pm.

There are also open workshops on Saturday, December 7 (1pm to 5pm) and Saturday, December 14 (11am to 2pm).