Chester’s Queen of Light will lead hundreds of school children through the city centre at next week’s Lantern Parade.

Festive lanterns will provide a warm glow to ward off the winter weather on Thursday, November 30.

Children, together with their handmade lanterns, will leave from Chester’s Christmas Market in Town Hall Square at 7pm before passing along St Werburgh Street accompanied by the Queen of Light.

The 2016 Lantern Parade in Chester city centre with the Queen of Light. Picture: David Sejru

They will walk along Eastgate Street to the Cross, down Bridge Street, then turn around and head for Northgate Street, with the parade ending back at the Christmas Market.

Primary schools taking part include Cherry Grove, Belgrave, Boughton Heath, Hoole, Chester Bluecoat, Dee Point and Tarporley.

Councillor Louise Gittins, cabinet member for communities and wellbeing, said: “This is always a popular festive parade, the lanterns have been made by the children in workshops led by Chester artist Russell Kirk.

“Russell has made structures for parades including the Twelve Days of Christmas, Midsummer Watch, Winter Watch and Diwali, his Queen of Light structure adds to the Lantern Parade spectacle.”

The Chester Christmas Lanterns Parade on Thursday, December 1

The Lantern Parade is part of Chester’s Christmas celebrations that include the Christmas Market in Town Hall Square, Chester Zoo’s Lantern Magic, Chester Cathedral’s Christmas Tree Festival, The Winter Watch Parade (Thursday, December 7) and the combined Saturnalia and Winter Watch Parade (Thursday, December 14).

Park and Ride buses will run up to 9pm every late night shopping Thursday, with the last bus at around 9pm instead of 7pm. For the whole of the last shopping week before Christmas, Monday, December 18 until Friday, December 22, the last bus will also be at approximately 9pm.