Blackburn Christmas light festival axed amid funding issues

Blackburn's annual Festival of Light is set to return next year

A Christmas light festival in a Lancashire town has been cancelled due to funding issues.

Blackburn's annual Festival of Light pre-Christmas lantern parade will be replaced with a smaller event.

Called Share Your Light, it will take place on 16 December and feature music, performers and light installations.

A message on the event website said: "Unfortunately we don't have the full funding for a parade festival event this year."

The event will take place in Cathedral Square in the town centre, with a grotto there during the day.

The main event will run from 17:00 GMT before an evening of festive music in the cathedral from 19:30 GMT.

There will also be a Kerrang'd live music tribute show, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Bit different'

Kerris Casey-St.Pierre, from the Blackburn Festival of Light, said organisers are "looking forward to doing something a little bit different".

"We were planning to have a bit of a sabbatical from the Blackburn Festival of Light this year before starting to plan ahead to 2024," she said.

"However, we're excited to be able to announce this new event working in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council.

"We're so looking forward to seeing our community come together once again to help make this a fabulous event."

Ahead of the event, there will be free workshops at the Festival of Light hub in the Lewis Building in Exchange Street.

Deputy council leader Quesir Mahmood said: "We're working really hard to be able to offer free, festive fun for all in the run up to Christmas.

"We also have our new Discover Christmas in Blackburn with Darwen campaign encouraging residents and visitors to support our town centres and we know events like this are hugely popular."

The full Festival of Light, which has been running since 2012, is scheduled to return next year.