A GOLDEN community celebration returns to Pembrokeshire, welcoming the darker nights! An ancient Welsh theme has been announced for SPAN Arts’ Haverfordwest lantern parade this October.
SPAN Arts was thrilled to announce details of this much-anticipated lantern parade, returning for 2026 on Friday, October 30.
Join them after sundown to mark the return of winter with this year's Noson Galan Gaeaf themed parade. The parade, entitled ‘Light of Ancient Guardians’, will illuminate one of the last nights of autumn with giant Ancient Guardian lanterns, inspired by Welsh folklore and legend.
Celebrating the ancient Welsh festival Noson Galan Gaeaf - the Welsh celebration of Hallow’s Eve - this parade welcomes the start of winter and celebrates a point in the turning seasons where it has been traditionally held that people are brought closer to the spirit world.
Winners of the public vote, Sand Palace Arts, have been commissioned to create their proposed Ancient Guardians of the Natural World. Inspired by stories from the Mabinogion and themes of Noson Galan Gaeaf, two large-scale, glowing puppet figures will walk the route on a carpet of community-made lanterns. The first lantern puppet is inspired by the Welsh Goddesses Cerridwen and Rhiannon, associated with magic, transformation and a connection to the otherworld. The second puppet figure will portray a white stag, associated with wild nature and a powerful sacred messenger from Annwn.
SPAN were also delighted to announce that their FREE community lantern-making workshops is returning soon! Led by Sand Palace Arts, the whole family can get stuck in to make small-scale owl and mouse lanterns that will light up the streets with the Ancient Guardians.
The community workshop will be held between 10.30am and 3.30pm in Haverhub on September 26, VC Gallery (Haverfordwest branch) on October 3 and the Albany Hall on October 17.
These drop-in sessions are completely free, and people of all ages are invited to join in. No booking is required.
The parade itself will take place in Haverfordwest on October 30, gathering from 5pm and ready to start from St Thomas’ Green at 6pm. The parade will end at the County Hall Car Park.
With the giant Ancient Guardians lighting the way for the community-made lantern procession, the procession will flicker its way through the streets with the joyful rhythms of Samba Doc. Once the parade has drifted through Haverfordwest, the parade will cross the final bridge into County Hall Car Park, where a circus-style fire performance from Pembrokeshire Fire Spinners will bring the Noson Galan Gaeaf themed parade to a spectacular and fitting close.
Join SPAN to light the way into the darker months, and honour the ancient traditions of Wales in this celebration of community, culture and the return of winter.
The parade and community workshops are completely free to attend. You can find out more information, including route maps, parking and traffic announcements, accessibility information and more on the SPAN Arts website, span-arts.org.uk . If you have any specific accessibility questions, email [email protected] .
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