Festive Lantern Parade

The Festive Lantern Parade kicks off a weekend of Christmas entertainment at Scarborough Open Air Theatre, running from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November. It's a community-led tradition, and the lanterns themselves are made by local groups, volunteers and schoolchildren from paper and willow, waterproofed and lit with low-energy LEDs. The parade is coordinated by the local arts organisation Animated Objects, with artistic director Lee Threadgold, and is funded by Arts Council England and the local authority.

The procession is just the start. The rest of the weekend brings a fairground feel to the theatre, with funfair rides, a tipi bar, marshmallow toasting, a snow machine, a Christmas tree, Santa's sleigh and festive characters. There's also a market of more than fifty stalls from local traders, and live music from the Backchat Brass Band. It's the kind of thing you can drift in and out of over the three days, rather than something you have to do all at once.

Getting there is straightforward. A free hourly shuttle bus runs on the Saturday and Sunday between Eastfield and Peasholm Park, calling at Crossgates, Falsgrave, Scarborough Railway Station, the town centre and North Marine Road. The Open Air Theatre has step-free access, and dogs on leads are welcome, though the organisers suggest leaving noise-sensitive pets at home on the Friday opening night. Entry is free.