insideKENT Magazine Issue 93 - December 2019 | Page 85

at Elwick Place from 5.30pm, a procession of giant,
illuminated baubles, decorated by children from six
Ashford primary schools; Willesborough Primary
School, St Michael’s CEP, St Teresa’s Catholic
Primary School, Godinton Primary School, Phoenix
Community Primary School, and The John Wallis
Primary School, will make its way down Bank Street
to the Lower High Street, where it will all end with
a bang. There will be a night market selling hot food
and drink, making it the perfect family evening.
Please note that during the events there will be some
diversions, road closures and parking suspensions.
Alternative parking will be available, with diversion
signs in place to minimise disruption and
inconvenience, and to maximise visitor enjoyment.
Get involved with Illuminites
Anyone who wants to get involved with Illuminites
can drop in to the Illumination Station which gives
you the opportunity to decorate your very own
Christmas bauble. These will be hung from one of
the trees in the Winter Forest, contributing your
artwork to this incredible installation.
The Illumination Station will be located on the
ground floor of County Square Shopping Centre,
adjacent to Tiny Tots Soft Play. Drop in to one of
the fun workshops which kicks-off on Saturday
7 December from 1pm-5pm. Workshops will
continue every day between Tuesday 10 December
and Friday 13 December; morning sessions are
9.30am-12pm and the afternoon sessions take place
between 1pm-3.30pm.
For more information on the Illumination
Station, please visit www.loveashford.com or
register your interest via the Facebook events
listed on the Loveashford Facebook page. Visit
www.facebook.com/loveashford for details. Fraser MacAndrew and JD Bracknell of We Make
Stuff Happen, said: “We Make Stuff Happen is
thrilled to be working with Ashford Borough Council
on Illuminites. The area’s rich history and heritage
has provided lots of inspiration for the Winter Forest
and the result will be a celebration of Ashford’s
cultural contribution. We’re looking forward to
lighting up the town for residents and sharing some
festive spirit.”
The Illuminites events have been organised by
Ashford Borough Council and Loveashford, in
partnership with Emergency Exit Arts, We Make
Stuff Happen, LM Productions, and supported by
local Ashford businesses. The creative department of LM Productions said:
“We are delighted to be working with Ashford
Borough Council on this Illuminites project, to bring
new and exciting experiences to the Ashford
community.”
Emergency Exit Arts, We Make Stuff Happen and
LM Productions have all worked on huge, prestigious,
national and international projects individually
before; including Universal Studios Florida, the Lord
Mayor’s Show and the Regent Street Christmas
lights switch on, but never on a joint series of events
like this. Amaya Dent, creative producer at Emergency Exit
Arts, said: “Emergency Exit Arts is one of the leading
lights in outdoor arts and has been producing
celebrations at the heart of communities for 40
years. We are currently delivering an exciting two-
year programme of cultural events in Ashford. We
are delighted to be bringing the Carnival of the
Baubles to the town centre. We hope that lots of
people get involved with the lantern making
workshops to join in this fantastic occasion.”
Tracey Kerly, chief executive of Ashford Borough
Council, said: “We are quite excited to be hosting
these events in Ashford. We have not had these
companies come together in a series like this. We
very much look forward to seeing lots of people in
the town centre to start our Christmas celebrations.
These events should showcase Ashford borough at
its best, and I hope everyone attending will feel
pleased to be part of it.”
85