A Truro Tradition

Truro's City of Lights festival and street parade was started in 1995 and has taken place every year since. Artist Tony Crosby, one of the co-founders, said he wanted to create a new tradition celebrating the local community. He certainly succeeded, the procession of lanterns made from 'withies' (sticks) and tissue has grown and become more spectacular with each passing year.

Christmas Lights

As well as year six children from local primary schools, community groups, colleges, artists and local businesses collaborate to make the themed lanterns. The 2008 parade, on the theme 'The Light Fantastic' took place on Wednesday 19 November. The procession started at the Territorial Army Centre in Moresk Road and made its way through the centre of Truro, along Boscawen Street, where a specially commissioned lantern figure turned on the Truro Christmas lights, and finally arrived on Lemon Quay for a spectacular fireworks display and massed band finale.

This panorama shows students from University College Falmouth as they near the end of the procession in Princes Street with one of the three giant lanterns they created for City of Lights 2008.