UPDATE: More details released about the four spectacular light shows coming to Buxton this February

Each show will combine music and moving animation of Buxton’s dragons awakening, and each will be unique to its location.

Deep in the heart of Derbyshire, beneath Buxton’s streets and fields, dragons are sleeping. Creations of magic and wonder, they exist in elemental state: Air, Earth, Fire and finally Water, the largest and most ancient, formed from the power of the other three. Once every thousand years, on the full Snow Moon of February, these Dragons can be woken from their jewel-like eggs, to dance in the moonlight, spread their magic and unite in celebration. We invite you to join us as they awake in turn.

More details have been released about the four spectacular light shows that are coming to Buxton this month. Buildings in Fairfield, Harpur Hill, Burbage and Spring Gardens are being illuminated from Wednesday 21stFebruary in the lead up to this month’s Snow Moon. Each show will combine music and moving animation of Buxton’s dragons awakening, and each will be unique to its location.

The project is the grand finale for Buxton Our Street, a cultural organisation set up in 2021 with the aim of bringing people together with free cultural events to celebrate the town’s High Street and heritage. It is funded by Historic England, with their partners the National Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England and is supported by High Peak Borough Council as part of Buxton’s High Street Heritage Action Zone project.

The dates and times for ‘Illuminate Buxton: a place we call home’ have been released as:

- 6.30pm Wednesday 21 February, Fairfield Band Room

The event will be opened by the wonderful Fairfield Brass Band.

- 6.30pm Thursday 22 February, St James’ Church Harpur Hill

- 6.30pm Friday 23 February, Burbage Christ Church (inside)

- 6.30pm Saturday 24 February, Buxton Spring Gardens

There will be food and drink stalls, bands and entertainment taking place throughout the afternoon. At 6.30pm a parade will take place along Spring Gardens with the wonderful Wye Dragon giant puppet, and mini projections created by Buxton School children.

Each projection lasts between 10-15 minutes and will run on a cycle over the course of each evening, from 6.30pm until 8pm. The events will be opened by the wonderful Fairfield Brass Band on Wednesday 21st Feb. Then in the lead up to the final lightshow on Spring Gardens on the 24 February, there will be entertainment by the Turner Memorial Well from 3pm. Expect live music, displays and exhibitions, food and drink stalls plus a parade with the wonderful Wye Dragon giant puppet, and puppeteers from Two Left Hands, along with mini projections made by local children from Burbage Junior, Buxton Junior, Fairfield Infant and Harpur Hill schools.

Mark Hornsey, from Babbling Vagabonds, is involved and says: ‘Since 2021 Buxton Our Street has been bringing live performances, music, art, dance, gargoyle making, puppetry and general creativity to Spring Gardens. These after-dark shows are a fantastic way of celebrating a truly amazing 3-year project. The ethos has always been to engage local arts organisations to put on events and so it’s brilliant that everyone from local schools, churches, to Fairfield Brass Band have been involved in the finale.’ The events are all free and for all the family to enjoy. Mark adds ‘each of the light shows is different, so you have the option of visiting the one closest to your home or using it as an excuse to catch up with friends across town and coming to all four! You won’t regret it!’.

As part of the three-year project Buxton Our Street created a Youth Board, to let young people have their say on what they want to see happen on the high street. They have been creating and recording new music with producers and the BBC Folk Singer of the Year, Ríoghnach Connolly, in workshops organised by High Peak Community Arts. Their work will be showcased as part of the entertainmentatn Spring Gardens. You can also view displays from other Buxton Our Street projects in a pop-up exhibition space in the old Royal Hotel (the old Track and Trail shop).

Organisers are asking people to arrive on foot if possible, or to park in the local carparks, and to be considerate of neighbours.

The lightshows are being created by Illuminos, an internationally renowned video art projection company formed by Derbyshire-born brothers Rob and Matt Vale. Their other works have included displays on Chatsworth House, Cromford Mills in Matlock, Elvaston Gardens and Hardwick Hall.

Visit buxtonourstreet.co.uk for more details.