- Bath Christmas Market opening night (market open from 10am)
- Holburne Lantern Procession (5pm)
- Transient Graffiti (from 5pm)
2012-10-29 — /travelprnews.com/ — On the evening of 22nd November, Bath will be celebrating the start of the Christmas season in style, with the first night of Bath Christmas Market being marked with a grand procession, organised by the Holburne Museum.
The Holburne Lantern Procession has taken place during the 2nd week of Bath Christmas Market for the past 7 years, but this year it has moved to the opening night, and is going to be bigger and brighter than ever, to get the market started with a really loud bang!
As in previous years, the procession will be a community focussed event, with an emphasis on participation. Over the next few weeks, a number of workshops will be taking place at the Holburne, and in schools and community groups, to create the lanterns Inspired by the ceramic collection at the Holburne Museum, lead artist Julie Roberts has chosen the theme of ‘birds’ for the procession and will be making lanterns of all shapes and sizes following this theme.
The procession will have a distinctly carnival atmosphere, with samba and bhangra music accompanying participants along the route from the Holburne Museum (starting at 5pm), through the city and finishing at Parade Gardens where participants and onlookers will be treated to music and dancing, before departing to enjoy the Christmas Market and the festivities in the city.
If you would like to take part in the procession you can find details on the Museum’s website (www.holburne.org).
The bigger and brighter procession celebrates the start of the bigger and better Bath Christmas Market – with more than 140 stalls this year, including new areas to explore at Bath Street and Milsom Place.
Nick Brooks-Sykes, Chief Executive of Bath Tourism Plus, the organisation responsible for organising and managing the market says: ‘We are delighted to be working in partnership with The Holburne Museum on the opening night procession. We want the opening night of the Christmas Market to be spectacular and something for local people to participate in and enjoy. I am sure that the opening night celebrations will further strengthen Bath’s reputation as the South West’s Christmas destination’.
On the same night, crowds will be treated to ‘Transient Graffiti’ – a unique community development animation project which will interact with two of Bath’s iconic buildings, the Bath Abbey and the Holburne Museum, to bring their facades to life. Continuing onto the following evening, spectators can expect to see a dazzling display of animated illustration which explores the immense histories of the buildings and depicts their inner workings. The content for the projections is being produced by three local community groups in conjunction with award winning digital media company, Suited and Booted CIC. Animators Elle Farnham and BAFTA award winner Emma Lazenby have been hosting workshops with the Holburne Association of Homeless Artists, Action On Hearing Loss Educational Day Services and Bath and North East Somerset Youth Services to design and produce the final animations.
On the following morning (23rd November), Bath’s new festive outdoor ice-rink, Bath on Ice, will see its first skaters take to the ice in Royal Victoria Park in the centre of Bath – you can book your skate session online at bathonice.com.
These events are just the tip of the iceberg of the number of great things to do in and around Bath over this year’s festive season. Take a look at www.bathatchristmas.co.uk for more events and inspiration.
ENDS
For further information please contact Audra McSherry at Bath Tourism Plus on 01225 322434 or email: audra_mcsherry@bathtourism.co.uk
Bath Christmas Market
Bath Tourism Plus is the company responsible for the marketing and operation of Bath Christmas Market, which attracts approximately 350,000 visitors per year to Bath and generates around £11million for the local economy. For more information about Bath Christmas Market, visit: www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk.
Bath Tourism Plus
Working with the public and private sectors, Bath’s destination marketing organisation, Bath Tourism Plus, takes full responsibility for co-ordinating the work of a busy tourist information centre, the marketing of Bath and the surrounding area to leisure and business travellers, PR activity to attract the nation’s top travel writers, a conference office, and development of Bath’s official destination website www.visitbath.co.uk. For more information about the services that Bath Tourism Plus offers to meetings, conference and incentive travel businesses, see www.bathconference.co.uk.
The Holburne Lantern Procession
The Lantern Procession is a free community event, organised this year with the support of Bath Tourism Plus and the Cobalt Trust.
Make Your Own Lantern
Workshops for pre-school children and their parents or carers
Clore Learning Space
Wednesday 14 November, 10am-12noon
Thursday 15 November, 10am-12noon
(free workshop but £1 donation for kit)
Workshops for school aged children and their parents or carers
Clore Learning Space
Wednesday 14 November, 3-5pm
Thursday 15 November, 3-5pm
(free workshop but £1 donation for kit)
Lantern Making Kits are available from the Museum Information Desk for £1
Suited and Booted Studios CIC
Suited and Booted Studios CIC is a visual media company specialising in video, animation and digital content. We are passionate about producing film with people at its heart for a diverse client group and pride ourselves on delivering professional creative solutions with a social conscience.
Transient Graffiti
Transient Graffiti is a unique community development project which will see the Holburne Museum and Bath Abbey lit up by experimental animations created by groups of vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and adults working with professional animators from Suited and Booted Studios. These iconic buildings and their histories will form the inspiration for the work whilst their facades provide the perfect canvas for screening them.
Bath on Ice
Bath on Ice is a brand new festive real ice rink opening in central Bath from Friday 23 November until Sunday 6 January. It is located in Royal Victoria Park beneath the Royal Crescent. Parking is available in Queen Charlotte Car park, which is adjacent to the park.
The rink and rink side café is open daily from 10am until 9pm and prices start from £7 pp including skate hire. Discounts are available for groups and students. All ages are welcome but children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. For further details and to book online visit www.bathonice.com or call 07583 258688
###