A parade of lanterns to switch on Haringey’s Christmas lights

A lantern made on Saturday. Photo by André Ainsworth

Haringey kickstarts the festive season with the annual lantern parade, culminating in the switching on of the Green Lanes Christmas lights this Saturday.

With tons of free events on 26th November, it all starts at 1pm at the Fairland Park Winter Fair and continues with the Harringay Lantern Parade to herald in the countdown to the Christmas lights.

The Tottenham Community Choir and London Metropolitan Brass Band will provide the perfect accompaniment to the mulled wine and festive food on offer.

Lantern making at the Salisbury pub. Photo by Clare Flaxen

Little ones can take in some puppet storytelling from the Tigerboat Theatre and St Nick is expected to put in an appearance too. Yes, really.

The parade starts at various locations around Green Lanes. Different groups will join together to form a mass of light, glowing its way to outside the Salisbury pub for the turning on of the lights at 5pm.

Getting a sneak preview of all of this, families headed down to the Salisbury Hotel on Green Lanes last Saturday to make lanterns.

The back half of the pub was given over to a happy carnage of people all armed with sticks, glitter and paper decorations.

Amongst the chaos of small children, volunteers from the Friends of Fairland Park were on hand to give out free supplies and help to enthusiastic crafters.

The historic pub was a fine choice of venue to get into the festive spirit amidst a friendly community atmosphere.

Swinging the lanterns. Photo by Clare Flaxen.

And if our table was anything to go by, adults as much as children were getting serious about their handmade endeavours.

If you missed the session at the Salisbury there will be more free workshops on Saturday 26 from 2pm to 4pm at the Railway Fields and 1pm to 2.30pm at Fairland Park.

So come and join the festivities: Christmas is just around the corner.

Words by Clare Flaxen