Kendal Torchlight looks to shine brightly this weekend

Thousands of people are expected to turn out for a street festival on Saturday before the procession.

Having been a key date on the local calendar since 1970, the festival will be themed around the four elements - fire, earth, air and water.

This year's street party, between 10am-4pm on Saturday, features stages of live acts:

• The Street Stage – outside of the library featuring a mixture of popular local bands
• The Dance Stage – at the Birdcage – featuring performances from local dance schools

The event is a beloved local spectacle (Image: Kendal Torchlight)

There will also be a host of activities including balloon modelling, bubble art workshops, circus workshops, face Painting and a pop-up photobooth provided by Kendal Community Theatre.

Roads in the town centre will close at 6pm before the procession begins at 7pm from Abbot Hall.

The sea of colour will head up Highgate, down Lowther Street, past the bus station, turn left on Sandes Avenue and back up through Kendal town centre.

It is expected to finish back at Abbot Hall at 9.30pm.

Read more: Torchlight Festival lights up Kendal after Covid restricted years | The Westmorland Gazette

Over the course of the summer, a number of schools in the area have been getting involved to make sure that the event is one to remember.

Pupils at Vicarage Park School, Heron Hill, Stramongate School, Castle Park School, Sandgate School and Queen Katherine School have been putting their creativity to the test to craft lanterns, giant dragons and flames.

Last year, the team at Kendal Torchlight vowed that it was just the beginning in making the occasion 'even bigger and better', and they are now hoping that the community will once again show their support to ensure it can keep growing.

However, the future of the event has been in doubt as of late, with a public appeal made by the organisers to help them reach their £10,000 fundraising goal back in August.

With entry being free for everyone wanting to attend, Torchlight requires extensive backing to fund the likes of road closures, lantern workshops, entertainment and safety equipment.

At the time of writing, the organisers were on the hunt for 20 people to act as marshals across the night, which was described as being a 'crucial' element of the occasion being a success.

If you would like to volunteer your services, then you can contact the team by emailing volunteers@kendaltorchlight.co.uk.