Merry And Bright To Light Up Ryde Again This Festive Season

Friday December 8 and Saturday December 9 will see an enchanting event return to Ryde for the festive season.

New Carnival's Ryde Merry and Bright is a free and popular event, held annually in the town.

This year it will be a two-day extravaganza, promising an incredible experience for families, friends, and visitors of all ages.

The festivities and late-night shopping commence on the Friday with the lantern parade from 6pm to 7pm, creating a mesmerizing atmosphere that sets the tone for the entire weekend.

This year the polar express train will be making its way through Ryde, riding on the success of the Southwest trains, New Carnival and Vivas project ‘A Railway by the Sea’ celebrating the Island line and its coastal communities.

There will also be lantern workshops, interactive artworks, installations, pop-up performances and live music.

Performers include Mila Lake, star from ITV’s the Voice, Jay Eatwell from Channel 4’s ‘The Piano’, Glow Circus Ariel hoop show, Wyldfire group’s fire show, The Rug Band, Abbey Brass and Vectis Brass Band.

Isle of Wight college performing arts students and Aspire’s Creative Hub young people will also be involved.

New Carnival has received additional funding from the Hornpipe trust, Portsmouth Guildhall, to undertake a digital art project, and arts award, with young people.

Their artworks will be projected onto St Thomas church, expertly mapped, and put together by Light Art Creatives from Bournemouth.

Hannah Ray, director of New Carnival, said:

"This is a dream come true, we have been wanting to put up some digital projections at Merry and Bright for a few years.

"I can’t wait to see the young people’s artworks on display on such a grand scale in the middle of town."

More information, and the full downloadable event programme can be found online.