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FELLGATE LANTERN WEEKEND · BUILD WEEK

Five days to build a lantern town.

Every November the park goes from empty lawn to a mile of light in one working week. This is the plan the crew, the contractors and the council all work from.
Gates open 18:00
Everything below has to be finished, tested and signed off by then. Three nights, timed entry every half hour.
Day 1
  • Site handover from the parks team

    Walk the lantern route with the ranger and photograph the grass before anything moves.

    Council
  • Trackway down along the lake path

    Aluminium panels over 600 metres of lawn so the vans do not rut it.

    Contractor
  • Generators and cable runs

    Three quiet-running sets, with cable ramps at every path crossing.

    Crew
Day 2
  • Lantern frames arrive from the workshop

    Forty-two willow frames on two lorries, stored in the boathouse overnight.

    Crew
  • Rigging the lakeside arches

    Steel arches on ballast, with no stakes anywhere near the tree roots.

    Contractor
  • First light test at dusk

    Every circuit on for twenty minutes; faults tagged for the morning.

    Crew
Day 3
  • Lanterns placed along the route

    Numbered to the site map and tied off twice against the wind.

    Crew
  • Food stalls and the bar marked out

    Twelve pitches on the hard standing by the café, with water and power.

    Traders
  • Go or no-go for the giant heron

    The eight-metre heron only goes up if gusts stay under 30 mph.

    Weather call
Day 4
  • Safety walk with the council and fire officer

    Exits, lighting levels and the one-way route checked against the plan.

    Council
  • Steward briefing in the boathouse

    Ninety volunteers, radios, torches and a walk of the whole route.

    Crew
  • Full dress run in the dark

    Music, lanterns and stewards, timed from the gate to the exit.

    Crew
Day 5
  • Snagging and last fixes

    Anything tagged on Thursday night is fixed or taken off the route.

    Crew
  • Stalls set up and stocked

    Traders on site from three, cash floats and card readers tested.

    Traders
Crew call times shown. The park stays open to walkers all week; the lake path closes from 16:00 each day.