Bermondsey's community lantern parade returns this month.
Illuminate Bermondsey & Rotherhithe takes place on Friday 20 November 2026. Lantern carriers gather from 4pm at The Blue Market Place, and the parade sets off at 5pm for Southwark Park. Entry is free and all are welcome.
This year's theme is "We Live in London", celebrating the city's landmarks, neighbourhoods, workplaces, parks and markets, and the people and wildlife that live there.
Make a lantern first
- Free workshops run at Bermondsey Square and The Blue Market through mid-November, with materials and lights provided
- Sessions range from simple jam jar lanterns to willow and tissue-paper lanterns
- The last listed public session is Tuesday 17 November at Bermondsey Square
The procession is accompanied by a samba band from St Michaels College and ends at a lit-up Southwark Park bandstand with music from Daren Callow and Unity Music Arts Trust.
The festival began in Rotherhithe in 2016, founded by residents and inspired by the story of the Mayflower, and has been extended into Bermondsey since 2019. It is produced by Blue Bermondsey BID, Bermondsey Square and Collaborative Arts CIC.
