The GLOW Lantern Parade will return to the streets of Reading, Berkshire, on February 14, 2026, featuring hundreds of handmade willow-and-paper lanterns and live music. Organised by Beautiful Creatures Theatre in partnership with Reading BID/REDA and Jelly, the free outdoor event is designed to bring local people together for a creative celebration on Valentine’s Day.
The procession will set off at about 5:30pm, assembling at the back of Broad Street Mall (opposite Blue Collar Food). Participants who made lanterns are asked to arrive around 4:45–5:00pm to have their lanterns checked and lit. The parade moves along St Mary’s Butts and Broad Street and finishes in Town Hall Square for a musical finale.
Local artists have been teaching residents how to build their own lanterns from willow and paper at workshops in local community centres. The parade is listed on the What’s On Reading website and aims to keep the town centre a lively destination during the winter months.
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