The Festival of Lights

Caldmore Community Garden once again lit up the neighbourhood with its annual Festival of Lights on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November 2025, welcoming more than 800 local residents to a weekend of creativity, performance and community spirit.

The Festival of Lights is the Garden’s largest annual event which blends the traditions of Bonfire Night, Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, celebrating the rich cultural diversity of Caldmore. This year’s theme — Migration — shaped the entire weekend’s programme, exploring the ideas of movement, belonging and home.

On Saturday 8^th November, families came to explore the beautifully illuminated Garden and to take part in a workshop designing handmade tea lights with artist Daya Bhatti thanks to support from The New Art Gallery Walsall.

The night continued with a mesmerising performance of Mr Shadow by Drew Colby which inspired the imagination of both children and grown-ups, followed by a hand shadow workshop for the whole family. Saturday’s Festival of Lights ended in a blaze of colour with Helter Skelter’s fire spectacle.

Sunday 9^th November lit up Caldmore with the annual lantern procession led by RSVP Bhangra Band and followed by Bostin’ Arts and their incredible moving whale lantern. Families joined the procession carrying their illuminated lanterns made with Bostin’ Arts at workshops in the community at Caldmore Primary Academy, Aaina Community Hub, and with various groups at Caldmore Community Garden. Giant puppets designed and made by Bostin’ Arts with community groups as part of Multistory’s ‘We Are Wednesbury’ Lantern Project 2025, followed interacting with shop keepers and passers-by.

They were accompanied by a group of fireflies – children from Caldmore Primary Academy and families who attended dance and movement workshops led by Autin Dance Theatre. The joyful procession walked through the streets of Caldmore accompanied by the beautiful songs sung by B’Opera, and ended with a finale from Thingumajig Theatre. Ghost Caribou, two giant illuminated part-caribou, part-spirit creatures , immersed people into a ceremony of music, song and shadow storytelling, exploring lost homes, impossible migrations and seeds of hope – before disappearing into the night.