December 21st - Kensington Festival of Lights

[Jay Funk Dawg]

Kensington Festival of Lights

The winter Solstice is the shortest day/longest night of the winter and it marks an incredible tradition celebrated in Kensington market. I attended last year's event and it was just out of this world!

This year's event in on Wednesday. December 21st and it starts at 5:45pm.

Light up the longest and darkest night of the year at the annual Kensington Market Festival of Lights. Enjoy the annual lantern-lit celestial carnival and Samba Squad pumped procession, as they move through the narrow, culturally rich streets of historic Kensington Market.

Join in this beautiful hand-made cavalcade of musicians, giant puppets, stiltwalkers, firebreathers and revelers to beg for the return of the sun, and honor the many traditions of the Winter Solstice.

First created in 1987 by Ida Carnevali, this glowing journey encounters spectacular theatrics on rooftops and at intersections - including a musical Nativity scene, a Kwaanza Celebration, Hanukkah, the Sioux legend White Buffalo Calf Woman, Raven Steals the Sun, Italy's winter witch, La Befana, a Solstice story told with giant puppets and daring stilters, a giant fire-sculpture sending-off of the "old year", a Mummers' play and much more. Sing with choirs and dance to the drums of many nations.

This is a wonderful, free event for the whole family. Bring a lantern or percussion instrument if you wish. The parade processes for about one hour (5:45 - 6:45) and starts at Augusta and College. The post-parade stage continues until around 8:00pm.

[payce-ley]

cools, thanks for passing on the word... that does look like fun

nice to see so much hoophulla assembled for the paisley's birthday

maybe see ya there (have learned not to make definate plans for birthday throw-downs as what powers that be generally wrest directional control early into the melee)

[Large Marge]

Awesome JayDawg! I was going to post this myself. I'm going to be bike-marshalling the parade (moving road-corks, in place of police barricades) so if you come, keep an eye out for me. Hopefully this snow and slush is gone by then!

There's a big after party in the works with the whole Samba Squad (the 20-piece Samba Eluga,I assume) I'll let you know the deets as soon as I get em.

Apparently there were over 10,000 people there last year; sounds like the biggest and best street party of the year!