Thousands expected at Bradford’s Festivals of the Dead

Thousands of people are expected to attand a Bradford community project exploring remembrance, loss and celebration.

Festivals of the Dead, a collaboration between Cecil Green Arts, the University of Bradford and Bradford Death Cafés. 

It will culminate in two large-scale lantern events this autumn, bringing together communities from across the district to reflect, remember and celebrate the lives of those they have lost. 

The main remembrance event will take place at Northcliffe Park on Saturday 14 November, offering a quieter and more reflective evening centred on memorial lanterns, creativity and community connection. It will include a small parade, performances, and a calling of names, with the event ending with music and a celebration of life. Organisers expect hundreds of people to take part, following the success of last year’s events.  

Ahead of the event, members of the public are being invited to take part in a five-week programme of workshops at Bradford City Library and Shipley Library, where they will create their own memorial willow lanterns while exploring themes of death, loss and remembrance in a safe and supportive environment. The sessions are being supported by the University of Bradford, Cecil Green Arts and Bradford Death Cafés. 

Professor Karina Croucher, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Bradford, said: “Death is something that touches every one of us, yet it remains one of the subjects we find hardest to talk about. These events create an opportunity for people to come together through creativity, reflection and conversation, helping us explore remembrance and loss in a supportive and meaningful way. We hope participants will find space not only to remember those they have lost, but also to celebrate lives lived and the connections that continue beyond death.”

Lantern parade

The wider Festivals of the Dead programme will also include the return of the popular Cecil Green Arts Lantern Parade at Lister Park on Friday 30 October. 

With this year’s parade sharing the overall theme of “Celebration of Life”, encouraging people to reflect on loved ones, community and memory through art and creativity. Both events are supported by Bradford Culture Company (City of Culture) volunteers.