Magical Lantern Festival

SEE CHRISTMAS ILLUMINATED

The acclaimed Magical Lantern Festival is bringing the ultimate Christmas lights experience to London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds from 24 Novemeber to 1 January, with hundreds of handmade, illuminated installations, unique grottos, rides and Christmas Markets.

The award-winning festival has enjoyed sold-out runs for the past two years, with a galaxy of celebrity fans including Ant and Dec, Emma Bunton and Emilia Fox, and it returns with this festive special of lights, culture, art and cuisine for its most ambitious, immersive experience yet.

It’s the brainchild of Weli Creative’s David Lee and Ian Xiang, who explained: “We’ve created the ultimate Christmas family experience this year, cherry-picking the most stunning locations for each event and filling them with giant, fairytale-like lanterns depicting elaborate Christmas scenes.”

London’s historic Chiswick House Gardens will see its picturesque, 65 acres packed with over 50 larger-than-life installations, handmade from silk, including a giant depiction of Santa and his reindeer; glowing angel wings for the perfect Instagram opportunities and a magnificent recreation of an ancient city from the Song Dynasty.

Manchester’s Philips Park (behind Etihad Stadium) will play host to penguins on ice, an Ancient Temple of Heaven and an extraordinary Footballing Lantern Recreation, celebrating the city’s love affair with the beautiful game.

Meanwhile, the stunning landscaped grounds of Birmingham’s Kings Heath Park will be festooned with a lantern trail, featuring a huge gingerbread house and enormous, handmade replica of the iconic Birmingham Central Library.

And Leeds will see Roundhay Park filled with lanterns, from polar bears on ice to a breathtaking Chinese Temple of Heaven recreation.

With a £10 ticket, children can meet Santa himself, in the magical, beautifully decorated timber grotto experience, with every child taking away a gift to remember the experience. Meanwhile, grown-ups can warm up with mulled wine and drinks at the bar, and a variety of hot food from the Christmas Market.