Chester Zoo has revealed plans for the much-anticipated return of its beloved wintertime celebration – The Lanterns.
If you’re unfamiliar with the event or have not been lucky enough to experience it before, now in its tenth year, visitors to The Lanturns are given the unique opportunity to experience the UK’s leading charity zoo after hours on a set trail in the dark.
Not only does the trail take you a collection of spectacular illuminations and colourful lanterns, but you’ll also get to meet some enchanting costumed characters along the way.
Among the many new elements at this year’s festivities will be brand new illuminated characters – including orangutans, butterflies, caterpillars and wolves – as well as a special light show dedicated to celebrating the zoo’s recent 90th birthday that will take visitors on a journey through time as they explore the zoo’s history.
Conservationists say that the event will support the zoo’s crucial work as a wildlife conservation charity.
It will also help with its recovery following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
✨ THE LANTERNS ✨
💖 Get your tickets for the most MAGICAL event of the year💖
❄ Explore spectacular illuminations, colourful lanterns and enchanting characters at our winter wonderland spectacular ❄
Speaking ahead of the event’s return, Gemma Bamford – Senior Admissions and Retail Manager at Chester Zoo – said: “We can’t wait to welcome visitors back to our very special Christmas event, The Lanterns [as] it’s become a firm favourite and something of a family tradition for so many people now, and this year will be more magnificent and magical than ever.
“The event will see the zoo transform into a spectacular winter wonderland, where guests will be welcomed into an exotic world of colour and movement, and where larger than life illuminations and animal characters await.
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“This year’s theme is all about shining a light on species that face a fight for survival in the wild, where numbers of many of these incredible animals are plummeting to worryingly low levels.
Chester Zoo has revealed plans for the much-anticipated return of its beloved wintertime celebration / Credit: Chester Zoo
“Never-before-seen illuminations of orangutans, butterflies, caterpillars and wolves are just a few of the species that will feature as part of our ‘into the wild’ theme [and as] it’s the zoo’s 90th birthday year, another hugely exciting new area will celebrate our anniversary through a special light show [and] take visitors on a journey through time as they explore our history.”
She also confirmed that lots of firm family favourite laturns will be returning as well this year, like Father Christmas, the zebras, elephants, and lions.
Just like last year, the Christmas celebration will again have a restricted capacity due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19 – however, the zoo will be offering more timed entry slots than ever before to provide more people with an opportunity to enjoy the festive fun.
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Visitors to The Lanturns are given the unique opportunity to experience the zoo after hours / Credit: Chester ZooConservationists say that the event will support the zoo’s crucial work as a wildlife conservation charity / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s been another strange and challenging year for everyone, so we’re just thrilled to be able to provide our guests with some much needed Christmas cheer,” Gemma added.
“This event is an important step on the road to our recovery after all of the different challenges we’ve faced in recent times, and will help us raise valuable funds, supporting us to continue our mission of preventing extinction all around the world.”
The Lanterns has been created by the zoo in partnership with multi award-winning outdoor arts producers, Wild Rumpus.
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Tickets are now on sale for selected dates from Friday 12 November – Thursday 23 December 2021, with slots available from 4pm – 8.15pm, and tickets for children starting from £11 and adult tickets from £13.
You can find more information and pre-book your tickets here.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
What's On
Horror film festival Grimmfest announces fear-filled return to Manchester next month
Emily Sergeant
Spooky season is just around the corner, and now a popular horror film has announced its return to Manchester next month.
Grimmfest, also known as Manchester’s International Festival of Fantastic Film, has confirmed its 2026 return dates, and has also announced its the full lineup – with four fear-filled days planned, showcasing the best in brand-new horror genre cinema.
You can expect some ferocious feature films, a savage selection of shorts, hair-raising horror classics back on the big screen, and more premieres than ever before.
Returning to Odeon Great Northern early next month, Grimmfest audiences will have an exclusive opportunity to see many of the films on the lineup long before their formal release – with both world, UK, and international premieres on the cards.
Some of the programme’s highlights this year include the UK premiere of Zachary Wigon’s darkly comedic period piece, Victorian Pyscho, shot in Ireland and starring big-name stars Maika Monroe, Jason Isaacs, Thomasin McKenzie, and Ruth Wilson.
Ángel Gómez Hernández’s Crawlers will also make its UK debut at the festival, and horror fans are also said to be eagerly awaiting Jason Lei Howden’s Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon – which is the highly anticipated follow-up to the beloved cult metal comedy-horror, Deathgasm.
There will also be an array of incredible short films screened throughout the festival, all in a huge range of styles, themes, and twisted sensibilities, proving that when it comes to Grimmfest, good things often come in small packages.
Grimmfest has announced its fear-filled return to Manchester next month / Credit: Grimmfest | Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)
It’s not just new releases you can expect either, as some absolute horror classics are also set to return to the big screen for their anniversaries.
Respected guests from all around the world are set to descend on Manchester for the festival, and that include the film makers and actors from many of the selected films.
And of course there will be plenty of film introductions, Q&As, and signings for fans.
Grimmfest 2026 returns to Oden Great Northern from from 8 – 11 October, and you can see the full lineup and get tickets here.
Featured Image – Grimmfest (Supplied)
What's On
Jersey Boys at Palace Theatre, Manchester – Oh, what a night
Amy Williams
20 years, 65 major awards (including Tonys, a Grammy, and an Olivier), and seen by over 27 million people worldwide – it could only be Jersey Boys, and now it’s back at the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
This is one of those shows where you realise just how many songs you know and love by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, but may not know the story behind the band themselves. How they started, how big they became, how they fell apart, and how they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
It follows the four boys from Jersey (who each narrate their parts of the story), how it started as just Tommy and Nick and a range of different guys along the way, until they found the one who has a voice like an angel, Frankie Valli, and this started to change the direction of their success.
But they were missing a key part, a good song writer – enter Bob Gaudio, and the creation of The Four Lovers, who then became The Four Seasons.
Mixed with issues of debt, loan sharks, prison time and more, it wasn’t the smoothest of sailing for them, and as they said themselves, they didn’t create a movement like the Beatles. But The Four Seasons were for the factory workers, the dads, the working class people who could relate to them.
One thing we need to talk about, is just how INCREDIBLE the vocal performances are in this tour of Jersey Boys, staring Luke Baker as Frankie Valli, Carlo Boumouglbay as Tommy Devito, Lewis Kennedy as Nick Massi, and Toby Miles as Bob Gaudio.
Jersey Boys is back in Manchester, for a run at the Palace Theatre
A special mention for Luke Baker, because as iconic as Frankie Valli’s voice is, he very perfectly matched it.
The musical features some of their biggest hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Beggin’, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Walk Like A Man, and of course, December 1963 (Oh, What A Night) which had everyone up on their feet dancing at the end.
This show is incredible from beginning to end, and would recommend everyone go to see this.
Jersey Boys is running at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until Saturday 19 September, and you can grab your tickets HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
11th October 2021 
