Kendal Torchlight Gathering to shine bright

Thousands are expected to line the streets for the Kendal Torchlight Gathering this weekend.

The 2024 festival is themed around the four elements - fire, earth, air and water, and begins on Saturday with a street party between 10am and 4pm in the town centre.

The Street Stage will be outside of the library featuring local bands, and the Dance Stage – at the Birdcage – featuring performances from local dance schools.

There’s also lots of free activities available on the day, including balloon modelling, henna, a bubbleologist, mini golf, face painting, a photobooth, lantern making, dancing and games.

On Saturday evening, a number of roads in the town centre will close at 6pm before the procession begins at 7pm from Abbot Hall.

The parade will head up Highgate, down Lowther Street, past the bus station, on to Sandes Avenue and back up through Kendal town centre, before arriving back at Abbot Hall around 9:30pm.

Torchlight is an event made by the whole community. Organised by volunteers who are working to keep the tradition alive, it relies on the local community to create costumes, music and dance to help light the streets with colour and celebration.

The procession will be motor vehicle free. Entries can take the form of walking, dancing, bicycles, stilts, wheelbarrows, mobility scooters, shopping trollies. We challenge you to use your imagination to bring the procession to life.