Hours before winter’s first blast targeted Eastern Ontario, revellers in Picton beat back the impending darkness with lantern-lit joy.

The Department of Illumination’s 13th annual Firelight Lantern Festival saw probably its best turnout of all time.

“It seems so fitting that it snowed the day after the Festival,” said Artistic Director Krista Dalby. “What we are enacting is a seasonal ritual, conjuring our communal light to sustain us through the cold and dark months ahead.”

Hundreds of costumed participants joined at Benson Park early Saturday evening for the Aurora Borealis Community Choir Choir. It rang through the park with an all-Canadian set list, including “Shine Your Light,” composed by local musician Lisa Bozikovic.

Formed just one year ago, the choir is led by Sam Hirst.

Afterward, the firelight lantern parade flowed down Main Street, lighting the way to the Crystal Palace. More than 1,000 people followed behind Kingston’s Spencer Evans and the Goat Steppers.

North Fire Circus delighted the crowd outside the Crystal Palace with a stunning fire show before My Son the Hurricane played the main stage to a sold-out audience.

The band’s explosive energy and dance moves rivetted the crowd for a solid hour and a half. This year’s art installations, on the theme of “play,” were created by The Department of Illumination’s core team of artists.

Tim Snyder made “PEC MAN,” an analog take on the PAC MAN video game, as well as the “Throne of Games” from upcycled sports equipment. It offered a popular spot to take photos.

Nella Casson’s “Word World” invited the audience to play with their food, and Ms. Dalby’s light tunnel of toys featured a swarm of flying Barbies in “Keep Picton Weird” tunics.

These installations were complemented by Andrea Piller’s giant trumpet-playing snail hanging over the stage, and an enormous colour-shifting teddy-bear lantern suspended over the audience, created by Susanne Larner.

All photos by Jason Parks.