Mark your calendars! The Lantern Festival returns on Friday 4 December, and this year we're making it bigger than ever.

We're teaming up with Illuminous to bring you NIGHTWATCH, a stunning Son et Lumière experience that will transform Ashbourne's Market Place after the lantern parade. Inspired by the town's rich history, it's a spectacular new addition to the festival that you won't want to miss.

Drawing inspiration from the town’s rich heritage, the projections will reflect Ashbourne’s historic clock-making industry alongside other industrial and social traditions that have shaped the community over generations.

To ensure as many people as possible can experience the spectacle, NIGHTWATCH will also be staged on Saturday 5 December and Sunday 6 December.

View Illuminos' work here

The project has been made possible following a successful funding bid to the Arts Council by Ashbourne Arts Ltd, one of the organisations responsible for both the Ashbourne Festival and the Lantern Festival.

The grant represents a significant achievement, enabling the creation of an ambitious and immersive public artwork.

“Arts Council grants are notoriously difficult to secure because the application process is complex and time consuming,” said Ashbourne Festival Chair, Chris Walker.

“The artwork itself will be created in a series of workshops hosted by Illuminous, a specialist art lighting consultancy and our major partner in delivering the project. These workshops will be scheduled for the autumn, but we are already on the lookout for ideas and we hope to encourage individuals and local groups to get involved.”

At the heart of NIGHTWATCH is a celebration of Ashbourne’s unique story. The projections will weave together images that highlight key aspects of the town’s industrial, retail and social past, including clock making, food production, gingerbread baking, traditional shrovetide football, and clothes making—all potential themes under consideration for the final display.

Residents, artists, and community groups are invited to contribute ideas and participate in the creative process, ensuring the project reflects a wide range of local voices and experiences.

For more information or to get involved (workshops announced soon), please contact us here.