Celebrating the winter solstice – the longest night of the year – at Mansfield’s Lantern Festival was again a success in its 11th year.

For the first time a ‘soft official opening’ was held on Friday night at the Botanic Park and, although only a small crowd attended, it marked the extension of this now popular annual event to three days.

Walker Events chairperson and festival organiser Allison Walker said 10 years ago this festival started with a simple idea – ‘bring the community together at the coldest, darkest time of the year and mark it with light’.

“It worked and people kept coming back,” Ms Walker said.

“Cultures across the world have marked this moment for thousands of years, not to be sad about the darkness but to celebrate what comes next,” she said.

Having the honour of officially opening the festival this year was Mansfield Shire mayor Cr Steve Rabie, who said, “One of the great joys of this festival is seeing so many young families take part.

“Every year it seems there are more children carrying lanterns, enjoying the activities and creating memories with family and friends.

“It is wonderful to see the next generation embracing this community tradition,” Cr Rabie said.

The fun continued on Saturday afternoon when market and food stalls were set up in Erril Street, which became a ‘mall’ with performers, musicians and lanterns lighting up the growing darkness.

Right on cue, at about 5.30pm, the traditional ‘lantern parade’ started from outside the Masonic Hall in Highett Street, with more than 60 participants carrying lanterns making their way to the roundabout corner, crossing the road and dancing and singing their way down the median strip to the Erril Street corner and into the centre of the festival mall.

Despite the drizzling rain, hundreds more lined the street to watch the parade of performers and light.

Entertainers continued to perform for the approximately 2000 visitors, many travelling from Wangaratta, Shepparton, Melbourne and even Taiwan.

This year the Glee West Choir from Footscray [Melbourne] asked if they could perform at the festival and entertained the crowd during the parade and later at the entrance to the mall.

The Glee West Choir is a community-based choir with more than 60 members attending the Lantern Festival.