Events in Devizes mirror the changing seasons. The Food and Drink Festival heralds the approach of summer when food crops develop above and below the ground, fruits begin to burst forth from the waning blossom of Spring and animals graze contentedly on the abundant growth of warmer days.
At this time of year we can only look forward to that time, although foodies can anticipate the gentle pleasure of our organised meals with friends you didn't know you had during the 'Come Dine With Me' event which will enliven the dark days of March in 2016.
But this season brings it's own pleasures with the Lantern Parade, a calm and almost spiritual prelude to the season of giving and indulging soon to be upon us. This year the parade took place quite early on 27th November 2015. Normally the weather is calm, cold and crisp, ideal for the nature of the event, but this year it was wet and blustery causing problems for the fragile lanterns and larger display pieces and daunting some of the less determined carriers who took a short cut back to the Market Square for the final tree-lighting ceremony instead of completing the full route.
The route of the parade has acquired a distinctly quirky flavour in recent years passing through the Market Square in grand style and then heading to the Canal Wharf to pick up Father Christmas (where else?) before retracing it's steps to the Market Square, where said celebrity clambers precariously, not down a chimney, but out of a window onto the top of the portico of the Bear Hotel where he makes a brief and inaudible speech prior to switching on the Christmas Tree lights.
This year Santa arrived with the Mayor (above), both understandably clad in plastic macs to ward off the blustery rain and standing in a sleigh-shaped cart draw by a most un-reindeer-like Steam Roller unexpectedly emblazoned with the title of Guiseley Council UDC (which is in Yorkshire not Wiltshire if you didn't know).
The parade was preceded for part of the way this year by a much more appropriate group of performers carrying illuminated umbrellas which added an artistic visual element to enhance the more modest collection of lanterns that form the bulk of the procession and give it it's community flavour.
The Wiltshire White Horses were the stars of the show again this year, battling bravely through the wind and there were some brave contributions from other participants, notably a yellow tropical fish which would have appreciated the wetness if not the temperature.
The evening climaxed with a short firework display hot on the heels of the Christmas tree Lights switch-on (above) suddenly appearing from somewhere beyond the rooftops. Everyone had a jolly good time and the Market and Fair seemed to be doing a roaring trade. My group paused to enjoy a cup of mulled wine, served up by some of the stalwarts of the Food Festival in years gone by. It was most welcome warming fare on another memorable evening for Devizes folk. How lucky we are!
