Brighton’s annual winter solstice celebration is set to return later this month and promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Discover caught up with organisers Same Sky to find out more.
The biggest yet Burning the Clocks is planned for 2023. Community arts organisation Same Sky are planning the largest lantern parade for Brighton’s beloved annual winter solstice celebration on 21st December. Following the success of Burning the Clocks 2022, event organisers have invited more community groups and expanded the parade by 40 percent. Burning the Clocks brings the city together to celebrate the shortest day of the year and provide an antidote to the excesses of Christmas with a different theme every year. This year’s theme is Clocks, which will be reflected in the lanterns made by the community for the parade. This theme was inspired by our changing perception of time’s passage after the event’s successful return last winter.
Artistic Director John Varah said, ‘Burning the Clocks is having its great reset, passing the time with ticking distractions, delightful nonsense, and a thousand illuminations; to render a few dark, silent hours even stiller.’ 2,300 Brighton and Hove residents with their handmade lanterns are due to take part in the parade and more than 28,000 people are expected to line the streets on 21st December to watch the parade and the end of procession fireworks from the beach. The Parade begins on New Road and finishes on Brighton seafront near the end of the Zip Wire. Unique new puppets and lanterns are developed every year for the annual parade and this year the Same Sky Artists will present a range of pieces that will come together and be assembled on the beach to reveal a remarkable antique timepiece.
Same Sky Executive Producer, Rob Batson, revealed, ‘We’re excited to bring our biggest event and lantern parade to the streets of Brighton this year. It’s going to be spectacular with some incredible new puppets, music and performances from every corner of our wonderful community.’ Same Sky is also looking for volunteers to join the parade and support the bucket donations team and also to support the lantern passing on the beach front. If you have a few hours to spare on the evening of the 21st December please register your interest at samesky.co.uk. You can also support Burning The Clocks by supporting their crowdfunding.
