The Sharrow Lantern Carnival took place in Sheffield General Cemetery this year, with thousands of people showing their support at the event. 

This year’s theme for the carnival was whimsical woodland, which resulted in various flora and fauna being represented in lantern form. 

Hundreds of handmade lanterns lit up the cemetery path, as people paraded through the cemetery park, led by the Sheffield Samba Band, and the evening ended with a performance from fire dancers. 

James Starky, the Chair of the Sharrow Lantern Carnival organising committee, said: “Sharrow Lantern Carnival is a really nice family community event where everyone gets a chance to contribute to making it special, by making a lantern or just coming along and dancing in the streets.

“It is just a really simple way for lots of people to be creative, and I think it’s really nice to meet neighbours in a different context.”

Ahead of the carnival workshops were held which enabled families and friends to come together and make lanterns, which would then be carried throughout the carnival. 

David Gibb, a volunteer at the workshops and the carnival itself, said: “I hope events like this benefit the community, certainly for people who are new to the area. 

“It’s a chance to get involved and meet new people here and there, often amongst the kids they will see people from school, so it just helps to build a network.”

The carnival is an important celebration of the creative community in Sharrow, and is well attended by people local to Sharrow and the surrounding areas, whether they have made a lantern or not. 

Liv, a participant in the carnival, said: “My favourite thing is seeing all the other creations, because you know just how much effort everyone else has put into making beautiful things. 

“It is lovely to do something where everyone’s happy and the community comes together.”

The carnival has happened annually since 2004, set up to celebrate the first anniversary of the end of the Iraq War. It was seen as a peaceful protest in the streets of Sharrow, and those morals are still kept today. 

The organising committee are grateful for all the donations they have received, which enabled them to run the workshops and the carnival.