ORGANISERS of one of the most popular events in the county have warned that it may be in danger next year.

In the wake of the most successful Ulverston Lantern Festival in recent years, organisers are warning that the event could disappear unless more people volunteer to help.

Festival chair Chris Nelson said: “We have a fantastic small core team of volunteers that organises the festival each year but if Ulverston wants the festival to continue we need more people to step up and help. The more people who are involved with the organisation, the better the chances of the festival surviving so that the town can benefit and families enjoy lantern-making into the future.

“We are not asking for a huge commitment and it adds up to just a few hours in the run up to the festival and on the night itself. But without more help the future of the festival is finely balanced.”

An appeal has gone out for new volunteers to attend a special meeting on November 3 at 7pm in the function room at The Sun Inn in Ulverston to review this year’s festival and discuss plans for the 2023 event.

This year’s festival saw up to 15,000 people crammed into the town centre to see a never-ending River of Light created by almost 1000 lanterns as the procession wound through the Ulverston up to Ford Park for the big firework finale.

The Lantern Festival community event is self-funding with support from local companies such as education specialists CGP Books, and from Ulverston Town Council and South Lakeland District Council. But most of the £10,000 needed to run the event each year comes from sales of Lantern Kits and cash – coins and notes donated by crowds on the night itself.

The provisional date for the 2023 festival is Saturday September 16 and the committee meeting will also be considering themes for the event. For more information on the festival visit www.ulverstonlanternfestival.org.uk or the Ulverston Lantern Festival Facebook page, or call chair Chris Nelson on 07761 930627.