The Okehampton Lanterns procession, organised by local music charity Wren Music, will return on Saturday (February 24) for the first time since 2022 with more than 100 people set to take part. 

Those taking part will carry pyramid lanterns decorated with river imagery, fish, and bubbles in honour of this year’s theme: “Two Rivers Meet”, to celebrate the town where the East and West Ockment rivers converge.

Accompanying the procession will be a street band of local musicians, put together specially for the event. The band, led by Wren Music’s Jon Dyer, will be playing traditional folk music and street band traditions from around the world.

The finale at the bandstand also features a dance piece by Okehampton Community Dance Project, choreographed by Wren Music’s dance practitioner, Jenny Read. The dance, inspired by the two rivers, will feature some Dartmoor step dancing which the dancers have been learning about for the project. They’ll be dancing to a suite of stepdance tunes which has been specially recorded by one of Wren Music’s groups, The Folk Sinfonietta.

Marilyn Tucker, creative director at Wren Music, said: “We’ve had great fun working with local families to create all these lanterns – a huge thank you to everyone in the town who has taken part. They’ve helped to make it a real community event, which is what it’s all about.”

She added: “We’d love as many people as possible to come along and see the procession and the finale in Simmons Park. It’s going to look absolutely amazing.”

The procession gathers at 5pm at St James Chapel on Fore Street. Then, as darkness falls, the procession will create a river of light as it makes its way through St James Street, crossing Mill Road/George Street and into Simmons Park. The procession will then split into two as they weave their way to join at the finale site in front of the bandstand in Simmons Park.

Wren Music has extended its thanks to Okehampton United Charities, South West Water’s Neighbourhood Fund and the In-Step Research team, which have supported the project and enabled it to take place. 

Organisers have arranged an official road closure for St James Street and Mill Road between 5.30pm and 6.30pm to ensure everyone safe.