​​ More details about the events and workshops taking place before the Fringe.
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School engagement programmes, public lantern making workshops, christmas light switch on, the christmas market and meet the artist sessions.
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You can also sign up to hold an illumnated mushroom HERE
BEFORE...
29TH OCTOBER | 11AM - 2PM
PREPARE FOR THE LANTERN PARADE @ WOLVERHAMPTON ART GALLERY
Lanterns and Noise Makers , Drop in activity
Come join the Creative team from Gatis Community Space and make a lantern or noise maker from upcycled and donated materials ready to light up the night and make some noise on parade night.
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No booking required, all ages welcome
Lichfield St, Wolverhampton WV1 1DU
22ND NOVEMBER | 2PM - 3.30PM
MEET THE ARITST @ WOLVERHAMPTON ART GALLERY
Join artist Adam Billington as he creates a thematic willow lantern to lead the parade for Fringe Art Wolverhampton. He will be happy to answer questions and discuss his creative process and give you opportunity to have a go with the actual build itself. There may also be the opportunity to try out some of the techniques depending on the progress of the main build. This session must be pre booked with a maximum of 10 people.
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Booking required, adult supervision advised
Lichfield St, Wolverhampton WV1 1DU
22ND NOVEMBER | 2PM - 4PM
LANTERN DECORATING WORKSHOP@ WOLVERHAMPTON ART GALLERY
Lantern decorating workshop, drop in activity
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Come and join Gatis Creative Team and decorate your very own paper lantern with designs focussing on folklore and myth or something about your own cultural stories, ready to share with the city what a wonderfully diverse community we live and work in as we light the skies on parade night.
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No booking required, all ages welcome
Lichfield St, Wolverhampton WV1 1DU
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22ND NOVEMBER | 3PM ONWARDS, 6PM LIGHT SWITCH ON
CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON & CHRISTMAS ARTISAN MARKET, QUEENS SQUARE & VICTORIA STREET
The fun starts at 3pm with a funfair, a giant snow globe, face painting, food and drink and much more. Get set for a full afternoon of entertainment that you won't want to miss with the lights switch on as the finale . A popular children’s character will be on hand throughout the day to keep everyone entertained before performances from Bilston Operatic Company and highly acclaimed international swing and jazz vocalist Andrew Bourn, who will perform festive hits old and new. They will then be joined by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Craig Collingswood, and Father Christmas, to switch on the lights at 6pm.
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As part of Christmas in Wolverhampton, the city centre will also host a Christmas Market on Victoria Street on the weekend of 22 to 23 November and from Friday 28 November to Sunday 30 November, featuring local artists and crafters showcasing and selling their work.​​
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WEST PARK PRIMARY ENGAGEMENT| VARIOUS WORKSHOP DAYS
FACILITATED BY GATIS COMMUNITY SPACE
We are running two workshops with West Park Primary School working with years 1, 2, 5 and 6. Years 1 and 2 will be focussing on what family means and what it means to part of Wolverhampton community, working with the Build Our Family Patchwork Quilt Campaign. We will be creating pieces to both create a digital patchwork and a banner to be carried during our upcoming parade event on the 28th November. Years 5 and 6 will be exploring cultural identity through folklore and stories, we will be creating mystical designs that represent individual cultures and identity and decorating lanterns made from upcycled resources. All families involved in the workshops will be invited to attend the parade event and become lantern bearers or walking mushrooms during the upcoming parade vent on the 28th November
ADOPTION @ HEART FAMILY PATCHWORK QUILT PROJECT
Various workshops with West Park Primary, Lantern parade unveiling & Grand Palace exhibition
Adoption@Heart is weaving a new "Family Patchwork Quilt".
They are inviting children and other members of the local community to design their very own patch. For each of these patches you can create your own design, and share a short message about what family and home means to you. Then, we’ll weave all of these designs together into a huge quilt, which we’ll be sharing digitally on our website and physically at events across the local area. The final quilt will be created by local Black Country artist Alex Vann. If you live in any of our 4 local authorities (City of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall) or their surrounding areas (like Telford, Cannock, Kidderminster and Birmingham), we’d love for you to get involved. Our family and home patchwork quilt project kicks off on September 29th and runs until the following month, November 3rd. If you’d like to contribute a patch, please make sure to send it to us before this date (November 3rd, 2025). The first unveiling of our physical quilt will be at Fringe Arts Wolverhampton during the lantern parade and then in the Grand Palace exhibition space. GET INVOLVED HERE
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