Loxton ‘Lights’ Up Lanterns

Held on the last Saturday of November, Loxton Lights Up marks the beginning of Loxton’s month long Christmas Lights Festival with an evening of Christmas celebrations capped off by the annual fireworks and turning on of the lights.  This year included an extra special event in the guise of a paper lantern workshop and parade facilitated by artist Paula Gallagher and Riverland Youth Theatre, with the support of Loxton Chamber of Commerce and Country Arts SA.

Over 2 days community members had the opportunity to work with Paula to create their very own light up paper lantern at the little Blue Shop in Loxton.  Glue, paper and laughter were flying left, right and centre as the workshops really captured the best of community arts – that is, the capacity to bring people together to connect and celebrate their own community. Families bonded over the shells of soon to be beautiful paper lanterns, children made new friends and eventually all the hard work culminated in a proud and excited lantern procession for the whole community.

Paula Gallagher has been working in community art and cultural development for 20 years and as an artist has created work for small and large events including the Oz Asia Festival. Paula said of the Loxton workshops,

“ The children were so creative and ambitious in their lantern ideas, I decided to let them go for it. They took hours to complete, but the kids and parents persevered with enthusiasm, and the results were worth all the hard work. ”

Country Arts SA Riverland and Mallee Arts and Cultural Development Officer, Alysha Herrmann spoke to Olivia Allen from Riverland Youth Theatre and Sonya Altschwager from Loxton Chamber of Commerce after Loxton Lights Up for a behind the scences peek.

Alysha: Why lanterns?

Sonya: After last year’s successful partnership with Riverland Youth Theatre’s presentation of a Glo Light Costume Parade, Olivia proposed a lantern making workshop and parade. The lanterns were the ideal and perfect fit for Loxton Lights and an activity that we felt could grow and develop into a mini-event of its own

Alysha: How many people participated in the lantern making workshops and the parade?

Olivia: Approximately 80 people came into the workshop space over the two days. We had 36 large lanterns with approximately 50-60 people walking together with the lantern procession.

Alysha: Highlights of the project?

Olivia:  It was really heart warming to see the whole family Mum, Dad and children working together to finish their lantern and the pride when it was completed and then walking in the parade together. People surprised themselves with what they were capable of and the support from the community cheering on the procession is exactly what a community event like Loxton Lights Up is all about.

Sonya:  The workshops created relationships and connections between families and children who otherwise didn’t know each other and was a wonderful drawcard for all the children there on the night to see something truly unique and specially created just for our event.  It was great working with Olivia, Paula and the Riverland Youth Theatre.  The Loxton Chamber of Commerce really appreciate the opportunity that Country Arts SA have given us to inject new passion and enthusiasm into the artistic component of our event and the opportunity we now have to grow it and include it as an annual attraction at Loxton Light Up Day.

We can’t wait to see what 2013 Loxton Lights Up has in store for the Riverland!

 Lantern Procession at Loxton Lights Up. Image courtesy of Loxton News