The Crystal Palace and Picton Main Street will be all lit up this weekend, courtesy of the Department of Illumination. The Lantern Festival is a regular feature of County life in the fall.

Last week, at the Department’s bustling studio workshop in the Armoury, oversized models of fanciful creatures and colourful structures were in the works, all in progress for this year’s celebration of joy.

In addition to organizing and designing the event, and creating all the magical art on display, much of the Department’s work is fundraising. “We’re thankful to be here for another year,” says Artistic Director Krista Dalby. “Government level funding pays for about half of it and the rest we have to make up in sponsorships and ticket sales.”

A ticketed adults-only event at the Crystal Palace on Friday features Belleville alt-country band Bad Tractor and performance artists North Fire Circus, among others.

The free, all-ages Lantern Parade begins Saturday at 6pm in Benson Park with the debut performance of the Aurora Borealis Community Choir and fire-spinning from North Fire Circus. The parade moves down Picton Main Street to the Crystal Palace for music by Cat Named Earl and family festivities.

Friday’s Crystal Palace event will feature Melissa Brant from Belleville with a black-light installation. The Museum of Uncommon Phenomena present “Curiosities for the Incurably Curious.”

Ms. Dalby explains that the Department of Illumination’s philosophy is “to create opportunities for other artists to participate. We’re fairly hands-off with our guest artists. They kind of run their plan by us, and then we say, ‘Go for it!’ We’re there to support them.”

Ms. Dalby is proud to be going local. “We started the Aurora Borealis Choir for this intent. This will be its debut performance.”

And, she notes, “this is the first time that we’ve really had local bands on the main stage at the Crystal Palace. Typically we bring bands in from Toronto or Montreal or Ottawa or wherever. But we decided this year to create opportunities for artists like the Belleville’s Bad Tractor.”

Bad Tractor is launching its new album, “Inland Sea.” The band’s postmodern “alt-country” sounds a bit 1960s with a touch of Stompin’ Tom, or perhaps as though Jimi Hendrix had been in Johnny Cash’s band. Its rock ‘n’ roll will rattle the venerable windows of the Palace.

Looking forward, the Department is matching its ambitions to community interests. 

“A brand-new project for next year has a quite a large vision. It’s called the Delhi Project. In August, we’re going to be in Delhi Park, three days a week with, essentially, an open studio.

“We’ll be working with the community, guest artists and our crew to create what we’re calling ‘The Delhi Pageant’ which is essentially the story of Delhi Park told by the community, creating something that’s really special about this place. It’s directly inspired by the place itself and told by the people who live here.”

The Department of Illumination represents the true spirit of public art. What Ms. Dalby says about the Delhi Project describes the Lantern Festival as well: “Public space is at risk. The first step is bringing more people to the park, so they see what’s there, to understand its role in our community and that it really is ‘the commons’ and it is there to be shared by everyone.”

All are welcome to this year’s lantern parade. For tickets to the Friday night event, see the Department of Illumination website.