What an incredible night for our community! Hello Dorking’s first ever Festival of Light filled the streets with lanterns, warmth, and a massive turnout from across the town. It was truly amazing to see so many people come along to take part in and watch the glowing procession wind its way through the heart of Dorking.
From the creative workshops and beautiful window displays to the spectacular lantern parade itself, this event has been months in the making. Seeing the town come together like that was something really special—a true testament to the heritage and heart of our community.
A Huge Community Effort
An event of this scale simply wouldn’t have happened without the businesses, community groups, volunteers, and residents who embraced the idea and helped bring it to life. We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who made a lantern, joined the procession, supported the event, and came out to cheer it on.
Firstly, St Martin’s Church who generously hosted the final part of the parade and have housed the lanterns so the public can view them. It felt truly special ending up at such an iconic landmark in Dorking.
Dorking Halls made a fabulous start point for the event and we want to say a huge thank you to Pippbrook House and Swirl Wine Bar who hosted the lantern making workshops.
We were especially proud to see so many local organisations represented in the parade along with many local businesses like who made lanterns and joined the parade, lit up their windows or joined the many who watched the parade wind through town. A huge thank you also to Cook who handed out treats along the way.
We also had some fabulous local performers to keep the crowds entertained along the way. ACE Circus provided stilt walking and LED lights, Rampant Roosters showcased Morris Dancing, Bloco Do Sul gave us a good beat to walk to with their samba drumming, and The Wild Choir serenaded the lanterns as they entered the church.
Finally, thank you to the dozens of families and individual residents who joined us—it was your creativity that made the High Street glow!
With Gratitude
We would also like to extend our thanks to Surrey County Council, as this project was proudly supported through the Your Councillor Community Fund. Their support allowed us to provide the materials and workshops that made this celebration accessible to everyone.
Share Your Memories
We’d love to see your photos and videos from the evening! Please keep tagging @hellodorking in your posts on social media so we can relive the magic of the night with you.
We are hoping this will become an annual event so do keep an eye on our social media channels or sign up for our newsletter below so you can be the first to hear about our future projects.
Dorking, you should be proud. What a night!
