In pictures: Crowds gather as colourful Lantern Parade returns in Maidenhead

The wet weather subsided just in time for around two thousand people to showcase their colourful creations at Norden Farm’s popular Lantern Parade.

The long-running Carnival of the Animals – Lantern Parade was back on Saturday after being forced to cancel last year due to Storm Darragh.

But despite, the wet conditions throughout the day, visitors were singing and dancing to the drum beats outside Maidenhead Town Hall from 4.30pm, ready to take part in the parade through the town centre.

The main stage was situated in front of the Town Hall, amongst an array of colourful animal lanterns.

Norden Farm once again teamed up with award-winning community arts charity SameSky for the event.

In recent weeks, around a thousand people, including school pupils and families, were busy at workshops across Norden Farm and Maidenhead town centre making their lanterns, following this year’s theme of Our Animal Neighbours.

This related to woodland creatures and animals that could be found in the local area.

The team also brought out last year’s lanterns to showcase on the evening.

Ahead of the parade, The Bollywood Brass Band kept up the energy with an array of Bollywood classics for crowds to enjoy.

Just before 5pm, Town Crier Chris Brown addressed guests, outlining the logistics of the parade, before Maidenhead MP Josh Reynolds took to the stage to give a speech.

Crowds lined St Ives Road as the parade, headed up by Mr Brown and Mr Reynolds, set off.

Stilt walkers, samba drummers from Beatroots, community groups, and families were joined by pupils from 10 schools, including Cookham Rise Primary, St Edmund Campion, St Mary’s Primary, Furze Platt Senior and BCA in showcasing their colourful animal lanterns, while dancing their way down the High Street.

Community groups, including Thames Valley Adventure Playground (TVAP) and Step Together also joined in the fun and The Autism Group had a dedicated space at Maidenhead Library.

The parade travelled down to the Boy and the Boat statue on Maidenhead High Street before turning left onto King Street and making its way down Broadway and back to the Town Hall, where the party continued.

Beatroots joined The Bollywood Brass Band in a high energy musical finale among the lanterns.

Jane Corry, chief executive and artistic director Norden Farm, said: “It’s a really inclusive event and so many families have this as their marker, this is where the festivities begin.

Kayleigh Robinson, education manager at Norden Farm added: “The fact that there a free event that they can go to and have a fun time is really important I think.”

She also spoke of the importance of creating ‘that sense of community and just engaging with as many people as we can.’

Jane added: “This is what we do. This is Norden Farm.

“It’s about bringing people together through creativity and enriching lives and sharing something.”

The pair said the event was ‘amazing’ and Kayleigh added that the team are hoping next year’s event will be ‘bigger and better’.

The team has thanked the Louis Baylis Charitable Trust, the Spoore, Merry and Rixman Foundation, The Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation and Sorbon Estates for their support.