A spectacular free event featuring music, giant puppets, a lantern parade and a myth-inspired fire show is set to light up a Stoke-on-Trent park this weekend.

Urban Wilderness CIC will host its second Winter Gathering on Saturday 13 December, in Longton’s Queen’s Park from 4pm to 6pm. The free family-friendly event, inspired by Greek mythology, is funded by Stoke-on-Trent City Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and supported by Queen’s Park Partnership.

Visitors can expect illuminated walkways, performances, a community lantern parade and a dramatic fire finale.

Beginning at 5pm, the lantern parade features contributions from Year 8 students at Florence MacWilliams Academy, St John’s Heron Cross Cubs, art foundation students at Stoke-on-Trent College, North Staffordshire Young Carers, and members of Urban Wilderness’s Teen Squad, Art Club and Creative Volunteers.

Giant light-up puppets, created during a two-week masterclass with Thingumajig Theatre and local artists in summer 2025, will bring the myth of the Minotaur to life. The puppets, including a minotaur and an eagle, are inspired by stone carvings on Longton Town Hall.

Isla Telford, co-director of Urban Wilderness CIC, said: “In our retelling of this Greek myth, Ariadne befriends the Minotaur, reclaims her destiny and leads the Minotaur out of the labyrinth and into the light. It’s a metaphor for holding true to what is good and right in troubled times.”

The finale at 5:45pm will feature the premiere of The Prometheans, a narrative fire show from North Staffordshire circus performers Circus in a Box, which sees Eve Travis and Ross Ankers blend movement, fire tricks and storytelling as flame-wielding folk heroes in a world of legend and fable.

The event will also include performances from the Penkhull Mystery Singers at 4pm and Domesday Morris at 4.30pm, with music during the parade and finale from KiLNE, a 20-strong Stoke-on-Trent-based nu-marching band led by Danny Shaw.

Jenny Harper, co-director of Urban Wilderness CIC, said: “There has been such an incredible buzz around the creation of this event for months in Longton. We’ve had record numbers of volunteers at our sessions and engaged with multiple new partners. The sense of what is possible in Longton has really shifted and it’s a joy to be a part of that.”

Isla Telford added: “The park is a gorgeous asset to the city and is well used by the local community. It’s a treat to be able to transform it at night with lights, fire, music and magic. We hope that families will enjoy making memories together at this free event, which is a great way to end Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary year.”

Refreshments will be available in the park from Aynsley Tea Rooms, Crumbs and Goodwin’s Coffee.

Cllr Lillian Dodd, chair of Queen's Park Partnership, said: “The Queen’s Park Partnership are pleased and excited to welcome this event in our park. It promises to be a really exciting event for all the family and we look forward to welcoming visitors to enjoy the fun.”

For more information, visit urbanwildernesscic.com/winter-gathering.

Photo credit: Andrew Billington