The Belgrave Lantern Festival will continue to light up the longest night of the year thanks to dedicated volunteers, and the Yarra Ranges Partnership Program.
The Partnership program offers funding over a four-year period, to community groups, organisations and service providers to deliver projects and programs which facilitate social connection and celebrate the diversity and cultural uniqueness of our region.
“The lantern parade is really important for the Hills communities. Lots of people struggle with the longest night of the year, and with winter,” said Belgrave Trader, Lucy Beach.
“I think the lantern parade was better than ever last year (post-COVID). Everybody wanted to be back in the streets sharing, everybody dressed up. It was so lovely to see everybody’s faces again. Everybody wanted the parade back”.
“Without the partnership grant we wouldn’t be able to run the parade. Things like the road closures, the bins, some of the strategic stuff is just very expensive. Even if you have lots of volunteers doing lots of in-kind, we need the partnership grant to allow the parade to happen,” Ms Beach said.
The security of the funding over the next four years allows the Belgrave Traders Association, and their dedicated team of volunteers, to plan into the future.
“It’s nice to know we have the next four years, we can look forward and do some of the things we’d like to do creatively,” said Ms Beach.
Cr Johanna Skelton said the Lantern Festival “brings Belgrave to life.”
“The Yarra Ranges community, through Council grant funding has supported the Lantern Festival for over 15 years, but it is the enormous generosity of volunteers that have enabled it to happen. Thank you to everyone involved over the years.”
“The parade boosts our region economically, but also shapes how we see ourselves as a community. I think we’re creative, welcoming to all ages, have a love of seasonal traditions and no fear of the cold!” said Cr Skelton.
Ms Beach says the Belgrave Lantern Parade is set apart by inclusivity.
“Anyone can walk in our parade. It’s really well known now, lots of people come from far and wide to walk the streets. So it’s really good for the Dandenong Ranges. People come together and enjoy our beautiful part of the world.”
“Sometimes the parade is bigger than the crowd to be honest, which is lovely.”
The Belgrave Lantern Parade was one of the 17 successful applicants in the Creative Communities stream. There were also 22 projects awarded funding in the Connected and Healthy Communities stream.
