Derby Season of Light returns for 2025 with inspiring arts activities

Derby Season Of Light 2025 events include family-friendly lantern-making workshops and Derby Lantern Parade

Derby’s Surtal Arts are delighted to present Derby Season of Light (DSOL) which returns in 2025. From October through to December, Derby’s dazzling diversity and creativity will be celebrated; embracing traditional cultural festivals including Diwali, Rabi’ Al-Awwal, Hanukkah, Bonfire Night, Christmas, and the upcoming Chinese New Year, which all share the common theme of ‘light’.

Derby Season of Light is a family friendly festival bringing communities and cultures together, organised by Surtal Arts and supporting partners. A series of inspiring arts activities and events will take place across Derby and Derbyshire shining a spotlight on the universal theme of ‘Light, Peace and Friendship’.

Derby Lantern Parade is the Season of Light flagship event and will light up the city centre on on Thursday 27^th November from 5pm. Organised in partnership with Derby LIVE, part of Derby City Council as part of Festive Derby, with funding from UK Shared Prosperity Fund, this year’s Lantern Parade serves as a precursor event to the Christmas Lights Switch-On. Featuring hundreds of community-made and professionally commissioned lanterns, alongside colourful and diverse cultural dance and music performances to bring the whole city centre alive! Derby Lantern Parade is free to attend and open for all.

There is a chance to join the parade bringing your own eco-friendly Diwali lantern, made in advance at a lantern-making workshop using biodegradable materials. Illuminate your lantern with a battery-operated LED light and bring your finished lantern to the parade.

The lantern-making workshops take place from 29^th October to 23^rd November:

• Derby Market Hall on Wednesday 29^th October at 1pm to 3pm
• Chapel Street Arts Centre (formerly Déda) on Thursday 30^th October at 10am to 12 noon
• Electric Daisy (Halloween Special event) on Friday 31^st October at 10:30am to 12:30pm
• Derby Chinese Welfare Association on Saturday 1^st November at 10:30am to 12:30pm
• Thrivemind Village on Sunday 2^nd November at 11am to 1pm and 1:30pm to 4pm
• Elvaston Castle & Country Park on Saturday 15^th November at 10:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 3:30pm
• Derby Market Hall on Saturday 22^nd November at 1pm to 3pm
• Geeta Bhawan Hindu temple (Diwali Special Lantern) Sunday, 23^rd November, 10:30am to 12.30pm

The workshops are suitable for individuals or families with children aged 5 and above and cost £5 per person per lantern. Places can be booked in advance: https://www.surtalarts.co.uk/event-details/lantern-workshops-2025-10-29-10-00  The lantern-making workshops are supported by: Derby Season Of Light, Arts Council England, Derby City Council,  UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Cosy Direct Foundation, Derby College, Derbyshire Chinese Welfare Association, Thrivemind, Electric Daisy, Safe & Sound, Krishna Sweet Centre and Elvaston Castle and Gardens Trust.

For details of all Derby Season of Light events, please see: https://www.surtalarts.co.uk/our-events

Gopa Nath, Surtal Arts Artistic Director, commented: “Derby always amazes me, there is so much creativity, talent and goodwill among the community that it has been a joy curating this year’s Derby Season Of Light. We feel the arts have a role in breaking down barriers and making Derby an even more friendly place. Partnering with community groups is important to us, to involve people who have never previously engaged with arts and cultural activities. Thank you to The Arts Council England and also to Derby City Council for their funding which has helped us to develop this exciting Season Of Light Programme.”