History
The Magical Lantern Walk is inspired by Martinmas celebrations that happen today across Europe and in small gatherings around other countries worldwide.
Martinmas is the celebration of Saint Martins Day on November 11th. This tradition has been happening for centuries, where children carry lanterns they have made and sing "Martin songs", processing through the town. The walk begins at the town church and finishes at the town centre. This time of year is when we mark the drawing in of the nights and the beginning of the cold months. There are other cultural and historic celebrations around this time, such as Diwali, the 'festival of light' and the end of the old agricultural calendar. Here in Rutland we have a rich agricultural history, with the Rutland Agricultural Society dating back to 1788! The Magical Lantern Walk brings together children, families and the community to walk together through our beautiful town centre. We are celebrating history, tradition, seasonal changes and our brilliant community.
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