The street lamps and houses look like glow worms, resting on the hillside, clusters of warm twinkling lights. On one night, every other year, they are joined by many beautiful lanterns. These are carried down to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal for the Slaithwaite Moonraking.....

Light up your lantern, light up your light
Remember your friends on this cold frosty night
The Moon she has fallen out of the sky
Take her round Slaithwaite and hold her up high
Peace to the village, peace to the town
Peace to all cities all the world round.

As we edge ever nearer to the Finale of Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival (it's tomorrow)! I visited one of the workshops to see families hard at work creating some amazing lanterns which will form part of Saturday nights procession. In a side room hundreds of lanterns hang suspended from the ceiling drying off and testament to many hours of effort by local people....

.....while in the main room people are busily constructing even more lanterns ready for the finale.

I met with Gill who is one of the organisers of the Festival and we discussed the details for the photography of the Finale and I was struck by how important events like these are for communities - it's a real opportunity to come together and share in something positive and uplifting.

Now don't tell anyone but I've never been to the Moonraking Festival before (shocking I know) so I'm really looking forward to seeing the main event which will include some huge firework displays, aerial art installations and live music - can't wait! If you're nearby on Saturday night then you should definitely come along too it starts at 6:30 Saturday 25th Feb