Dalston is the place to be for children (and adults) this weekend. The Dalston Christmas Market will be happening on Dalston Square on Sunday from 11am – 7pm, with a full programme of live entertainment throughout the day, featuring Hackney based performers and school choirs.
You can make Christmas cards and gifts and even join in the ‘Dalston Singers One Day Choir’ at the Dalston CLR James Library, where there’s a programme of free workshops for children all day Sunday and on Saturday too.
All of the lanterns that have been made in workshops this month will be illuminating the entrance to Dalston Square and the Christmas Market and lighting up the Garden and pavilion, with a sneak preview of the giant ‘greenhouse lantern’ installation… Nearly 200 giant paper ‘vegetables’, beautiful jam jar and intricate paper bag lanterns have been created so far by the Trinity Centre After School Club, Holy Trinity Primary School, families and adults, with more to come from workshops this weekend.
If you have made a lantern and would like to see it lit up, come along to the Garden or Dalston Square from 3pm onwards. If you haven’t made a lantern yet, its not too late! We will be transforming more jam jars and paper bags to light up the winter nights in Dalston this Saturday 30 November and again on Sunday 1 December, 2 – 5pm. No booking is necessary, just turn up and stay for as long as you like. If you have some jam jars to donate, please do!
All of the lantern making sessions take place inside the ‘Pineapple House’ where the new wood-burning stove is making it very cosy. The Garden cafe will be serving home made soups, hot chocolate and spiced cider and mulled wine as well as special seasonal treats.
Lantern making photo © Hannah Shackleford
The ‘Festival of Light’ is supported by Hackney Council and is free for all participants.
