The Bolsover Lantern Parade, one of the biggest in the country and now in its 32nd year, saw 400 lanterns carried through the streets watched by thousands of spectators lining the pavements. Saturday’s parade was a grand finale to the Bolsover Winter Festival – a weekend that included a traditional Christmas market and a day of festive food and entertainment in the town centre.
On the previous two evenings, Bright Winter Nights illuminated Bolsover Castle with three immersive light shows that attracted 2,000 visitors.
This was the third year that Junction Arts has brought the two illuminating events to the town. Junction Arts managing director, Emily Bowman, said: “We had an amazing three nights in Bolsover. These events celebrated art, technology and local people, with every piece of content co-created by the community and professional artists. Their success is a reflection of the fantastic creativity and strong community spirit that exists in this brilliant town, and we feel so proud to have been part of it. Thank you to our funders, supporters, partners, volunteers, artists and everyone who made a lantern or turned out to support these fabulous events.”

9. Bolsover Lantern Parade
Brand new samba band, Bolsover Beats, made their debut on the night and led the lantern parade into the town centre. Created by Junction Arts, the band of 30 members had no prior musical experience when they began rehearsing in May 2025 (photo: Lamar Francois) Photo: Lamar Francois

10. Bright Winter Nights
Bolsover Castle was illuminated by immersive light shows, much to the delight of this little boy (photo: Lamar Francois) Photo: Lamar Francois

11. Bright Winter Nights
Young people from Bolsover worked with professional artists to shape three light projections for the castle (photo: Lamar Francois) Photo: Lamar Francois

12. Bright Winter Nights
The light show, This Is Me Talking, was projected onto the Little Castle. Bolsover based youth club Boza Youth worked alongside visual artist Rebecca Smith to explore what mattered most to them which helped shape the powerful artwork. Crescendo, a project undertaken by students from Shirebrook Academy, who worked with internationally renowned visual artist Barrett Hodgson, was projected onto The Terrace (photo: Lamar Francois) Photo: Lamar Francois

