Cabasa, a carnival arts organisation based in Mossley, is partnering with Tameside Cultural Services - part of Tameside Council - to create the Christmas Lantern Parade as part of the Northern Lights event, which will be an amazing community procession bringing light to Tameside.  The Northern Lights - Tameside’s Christmas Celebration - will take place  in Ashton on 19th November between 3pm and 6:30pm.

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Emily Wood,  Artistic Director of Cabasa, said: “The parade story will feature four different spirits: our lead figure The Spirit of the North, The Light Spirit, The Water Spirit, and The Rainbow Spirit, accompanied by local dancers, drummers and brass players all in colourful costumes. The parade explores themes of light, hope and living in the north. The parade will also feature hundreds of lanterns made by the community.

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“Our partners Mossley Writers worked with Ashton-based Age UK, The Anthony Seddon Fund, Khush Amdid, and The Townhouse (Stronger Together Tameside) to tell their stories based on our theme of light and hope, reflecting ideas, feelings, and cultures of the local area, those stories have been turned into beautiful designs which you can help Cabasa paint!

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“You can get involved in creating the giant figurehead for the parade, The Spirit of The North, which will be a floating 3m head with 40m of flowing silk adorned with stories collected from the local community. The first two weeks of November we have workshops in batik (hot wax on silk) and silk painting at our studio at The Vale in Mossley to bring these stories to life. No experience required, we’ll show you what to do.”

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Cabasa is a Carnival arts organisation based in Mossley that brings people together to create big, bold, and beautiful outdoor events. Cabasa takes influence from Carnival styles from around the world, and closer to home, and works with local artists and communities to create amazing things for the whole community to enjoy.  

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Find out how can get involved in the parade here: www.intameside.co.uk/NorthernLights

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“When light and water meet, magic emerges…  

The Spirit of the North has been summoned this winter…A bringer of light and hope into the hearts and minds of our community.

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As the rain falls

And we bring light

The spirits will come out to play   

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Will you bring your light this winter to summon the Spirit of the North?”

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