AN Olympic-style closing ceremony will be the highlight of this year's Ulverston Lantern Festival. 

The ceremony will involve local people performing circus skills and the dance moves required to create ‘light graffiti’ for the event on Saturday September 12. 

The finale will be designed and created right here in Ulverston and performed by a troupe of dancers which is now being recruited by artists Matrix Circus.

Matrix Circus has secured grant funding from Arts Council England to put on the mass-participation show with painted dancers, fire fans and leading-edge LED hoops created by an Ulverston-based artist. 

The Lantern Festival committee has also contributed to help with development of the concept.

Jennifer Street of Matrix Circus said: "I'm so chuffed they've given us their backing, now we just need the volunteers to perform and make it happen." 

Miss Street has been dreaming of putting on an even bigger show since organising last year's festival finale.

She said: "The aim is to create a show by the community for the community so I'm after 50 people who want to come together to learn circus skills and create a magical night for Ulverston."

The show will be inspired by this year's Lantern Festival theme of 'Out of the Toy Box', and will be staged at other locations within the community as part of the ‘Community Spark’ project. 

It will involve people learning to use flaming fans, hula hoops and poi (a fire dance performing art from New Zealand) to create a light show on a stage erected for the night at Ford Park. 

Alternative drumming act The Deatbeats will join in and the traditional firework display will also light up the night for crowds.

Miss Street said: “Our aim is to give people within the South Lakeland community a platform and confidence to engage in the circus arts.

"We will provide a supportive safe environment for people to express themselves in a playful relaxed group, to build self-confidence and a sense of empowerment through performance.”  

Ulverston-based artist Ellie Chaney will help people design and make their own costumes and make-up artist Kerry Turner will assist in creating characters. 

Artist Ben Kermode will make the unique LED hoops and poi for the show which can be programmed to create any text or geometric design.

Gavin Knott of the Ulverston Lantern Festival committee said: "We decided to back the concept so we can have an all-singing, all-dancing festival finale we'll all remember.

"It also feels right to do something that supports artists in Ulverston, gives people new skills and also encourages a new LED enterprise, since LEDs are at the heart of so many of the town’s technology-leading companies."

Rehearsals will begin shortly and anyone wishing to take part in the finale should call Miss Street on 07907 100042 or email matrixcircus@live.com.