It was the annual event that helped define every year in Knowle West - and now for the first time in a generation, the Knowle West Lantern Parade is to return.
Back in the 1980s, the entire community came together to take part in a huge lantern parade down Filwood Broadway, with parents and children dressing up and spending time creating large and colourful lanterns and costumes to light up the cold dark nights at the start of witner.
And now the first lantern parade is to be held again in Knowle West this year, led by a local community group.
And to mark the occasion they have also created a Hollywood-style sign for the area, to proclaim ‘Filwood’ for everyone passing by on the busy Airport Road at the entrance to the area.
The sign will welcome people to the area and will be unveiled for the first time during the lantern parade.
Both the sign and parade are part of the Filwood Fantastic Illuminations project - which is all about brightening up Knowle West over the winter period.
The project is being led by local resident and communications assistant for the Filwood Community Centre, Chavez Moulton.
"The lantern parade is the first of its kind to take place in the area since the iconic Knowle West lantern parades of the 1980s," he said.
“Events like this shine a light on Knowle West and all the great stuff going on here,” he said.
“It’s going to bring people together and be a fun time for everyone involved. It’s also an opportunity for people to get involved in the community and to express their creativity,” he added.
A street art workshop will take place in the community centre on Tuesday this week, October 29, from 10am to 1pm, while lantern-making workshops will be run by Arts Enlarge, whcih has been involved in lantern parades all over Bristol.
The parade itself will get underway along Filwood Broadway in Knowle West at 5.30pm on Friday, November 1, with the sign unveiled during it.
It will be followed by one of the new regular music nights at the centre. Hosted by Arts2Life UK, this will run from 7.30-10.30pm and feature an all-female line-up of musicians performing.
For the latest news in and around Bristol, visit and bookmark Bristol Live's homepage.
