Stoke Lanterns 2026 - Stories in the Shadows
Stoke Lantern Parade 2026 - Stories in the Shadows took place on Friday 20th March 2026.
Click below to listen to the tracks made by Rachael Gladwin made with the children from Stoke Minster.
Photographs from Stoke Lantern Parade 2026 by Andrew Billington
Thank you to our artist team
Lead Producer Holly Johnson, support producer Rebecca Frankenberg, Lamplighter Lantern by B. ARTS Studio - Richard Redwin, Lamppost and paper cuts by Dan Jaworski-Higgs, using illustrations by Kidda Kinsey, Animations by Kidda Kinsey, Projector Bikes and Face Board by Dan Fox - Sound Intervention, Costume design and creation Katy Goodwin, Gemma Smith, Holly Johnson and Eve Travis. Original Music and live Harp by Rachael Gladwin, Shadow Play Creation - puppets Kate Powell and Story Narration Julie Moss, support puppeteer Cait Stott, story by Holly Johnson. Fox Lantern Creation - B. ARTS Studio - Dan and Richard working with masterclass participants.
Thanks to Gemma Thomas and the team at Brilliant Bamboo for letting us use their beautiful Bamboo Parklet for our finale and the wonderful team at PH productions for lighting it and providing technical set up and support. Thanks to Staffs Solutions for providing First aid and the police team who supported the event, and of course all our wonderful stewards who kept us safe, and Neena’s Indian Food, Moroccan Food Stoke and Bread in Common for the delicious refreshments.
Thank you to our funders and supporters
Stoke Lanterns is part of our Cascade programme supported by Stoke Creates and Arts Council England, the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund-supported by UK Government and Historic England and the Animate 72 project funded by Stoke-On-Trent City Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.