The idea
Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival is a festival of light, where wonderful illuminated willow lanterns light up the streets and crowds come together is a spectacular fire finale with music and street performance to celebrate a popular legend.
Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival has been running since 1985, by Satellite Arts and Slaithwaite Community Association, and is now a charity in its own right. Due to funding cuts and covid 19, the festival has been unable to take place since 2017.
The village has been fundraising through a “Lunar Levy” scheme to bring back the main festival, which has raised some funds but Moonraking needs YOUR help now to make this happen!
We’re asking for individuals to donate what they can afford and for groups, schools and businesses to run creative fundraising events to make this happen. We can then get matching funds from trusts and foundations to reach our target. Together we can do this!
Let’s rake the moon again in 2023!
What we'll deliver
- Lantern making workshops for families
- A parade of lanterns throughout the village
- Spectacular firework finale with live music
- Outdoor entertainment on the evening of the parade
- Positive press and media coverage to the village
- New visitors to the village
- Fringe Performances and Storytelling
- Creative training and workshadowing opportunities for young people
Why it's a great idea
The event brings the community together at a dark time of year for an affirming celebration of light, warmth and creative spirit. It issues a creative challenge to individuals, families and groups to make lanterns and offers themes, full support, materials and artists to help and inspire.
Every penny invested in the festival will feed directly into our local economy. The funds we raise will buy quality materials, expert professional help, training for volunteers and the very best health and safety for everyone taking part.
Professional artists create centrepiece lanterns and the parade features both local groups and professional musicians and street performers. Young artists are also offered shadowing and development opportunities as part of the festival.
Steps to get it done
- Full Festival Parade Saturday 18th February 2023
- Community Lantern workshops Monday 13th - Friday 17th February 2023
- Buying materials for lantern workshops January/February 2023
- Planning road closures, stewarding, health and safety of parade from November 2022
- Planning PR and social media strategy from September 2022
- Inviting local business and organisations to make lanterns and decorate spaces from September 2022
The Moonraking Festival has been running since 1985, but due to funding cuts and covid 19 has been unable to take place since 2017.
It costs a lot of money to keep everyone safe. Insurance costs are rising, health and safety need to be done professionally and our volunteers need support and training to make the event successful. We use locally based creative practitioners and suppliers wherever possible. We pay professional artists to give creative direction and pass on the skills in our workshops.
We also work with local schools and support local young people in gaining new skills. Moonraking attracts thousands of visitors, brings national media coverage to our area, supports local businesses and is great fun for everyone taking part.
