The Lismore Lantern Parade will return this year for its 32nd staging, continuing a much-loved tradition that transforms the CBD into a glowing celebration of community, creativity and resilience.
Festival Director Jyllie Jackson says the event has become a fixture of life in the Northern Rivers, drawing strong local support while also attracting visitors from further afield.
“It is pretty well loved,” she said, noting that recent community outreach has shown continued enthusiasm from people who are yet to experience the parade in person.
The parade will once again bring together schools, artists, community groups and volunteers, with Jackson describing it as a deeply collaborative effort that grows each year through shared participation.
“There are quite a few lanterns this year which will be surprises,” she said. “We have a lot of lanterns, and the lanterns take a long time to make… they are not cheap.”
Many of the large-scale lanterns are longstanding features of the parade, with some evolving over years while others are brought out as returning favourites.
“There are a lot of lanterns which are old favourites,” Jackson said. “They get tweaked every year or so… new skins.”
This year’s themes include the “Year of the Fire Horse” and the ongoing “Return of the Sun”, which Jackson said connects to both seasonal cycles and broader cultural symbolism.
“Return of the Sun is always an ongoing thing because it’s held on or around the longest night of the year,” she said. “It’s a symbol of optimism.”
She said the Fire Horse theme reflects strength and forward movement, tying into both cultural tradition and the spirit of the local community.
“It’s the Chinese symbol of the Fire Horse… for strength and energy moving forward,” she said.
Behind the scenes, Jackson said the scale of work involved in producing the parade is significant, with months of preparation and extensive volunteer effort required to bring the event together.
“It’s the equivalent of several weeks work that goes into each one,” she said, referring to the lantern construction process.
This year also marks a milestone for the Wearable Arts Awards, which will be hosted in Lismore for the first time and has attracted more than 70 entries across student, adult and open categories.
“We’ve got the students awards and the adults awards… over 70 entries,” Jackson said.
Sustainability remains a strong focus, with many entries made from recycled or repurposed materials, and even trophies created using reclaimed components.
One standout entry comes from a 10-year-old entrant whose imaginative concept explores environmental themes in a creative way.
“What an imagination and what an understanding of rubbish and recycled things,” Jackson said.
The program also includes the return of the “Enchanted Windows” initiative, encouraging local businesses to decorate shopfronts in line with parade themes, with participating businesses also showcasing products as part of the display.
“People can go along and have a look… and later on go back and buy stuff,” Jackson said.
Music will once again play a major role in the night’s celebrations, with a line-up that includes ARIA Award-winning country artist Emily Lubitz alongside other acts such as a Brazilian big band.
“The music is really good this year,” Jackson said. “We try and keep it interesting each year.”
A dedicated lantern installation will also continue to honour those who have contributed to the parade over its 32-year history, with names added annually as part of a commemorative tradition.
“We have one special lantern with everybody’s name on it,” she said. “As people pass during the year, we add them to the list.”
Jackson said the gesture reflects the long community history behind the event and the people who have helped shape it over time.
“It’s just an acknowledgement and remembering people who’ve been involved,” she said.
As preparations continue, Jackson said the event’s enduring strength lies in its ability to bring people together through creativity and shared experience.
“We try each year to have a positive theme and a positive way in which we can give people something good to take away.”
The Lismore Lantern Parade on June 20 with the full program available online now. Organisers are encouraging visitors to secure tickets early for both the grandstand viewing of the Finale and the Wearable Arts Awards.
Tickets are on sale now for the Heart Light Wearable Art Show, and the Lantern Parade’s famous Fiery Finale.
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