Shepton Mallet's Lantern Festival will bring colour and light to the town once again this December, with a glowing parade and public lantern-making workshops confirmed.

The main event takes place on Saturday, 20 December, starting at 5pm from the Collett Park bandstand. Led by a Samba Band, the community parade will head through Shepton's streets to the Market Place, with residents carrying handmade lanterns of all shapes and sizes.

In the lead-up to the parade, free workshops will be held across two weekends at a new town-centre venue, The Amulet in Market Place, thanks to support from Coxley Developments Ltd.

Lantern making workshops – details:

• Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 November

• Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 December

• 10.30am to 4pm at The Amulet, Market Place

Workshops are free to attend and open to all. There is a £2 charge for materials, including willow, tissue paper and canes. Children are welcome but must be supervised. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own battery-powered LED lights, though a limited supply will be available to buy.

Volunteers will help participants make their lanterns, with organisers saying they "can't wait to see you there".

Next steps: Turn up to a workshop and get involved – no booking required. The parade coincides with the Sunday Market and Christmas lights switch-on on 30 November.

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