Burning the Clocks 2019: Crowdfunding campaign launched for Brighton’s winter solstice celebration

The team behind Brighton’s annual lantern parade Burning the Clocks has launched an ‘essential’ online funding campaign for this year’s event.
By Rachel O'Brien
Published 20th Nov 2019, 10:57 BST
Last year's Burning the Clocks celebration in Brighton. Photograph: Simon Dack PhotographyLast year's Burning the Clocks celebration in Brighton. Photograph: Simon Dack Photography
Last year's Burning the Clocks celebration in Brighton. Photograph: Simon Dack Photography

Community arts charity Same Sky is looking to raise £6,500 through its Crowdfunder for the winter solstice celebration, which will return on December 21.

Artistic director John Varah said: “Our Crowdfunder for Burning the Clocks is essential to keep this event alive, as it costs over £30,000 to produce each year and doesn’t receive any guaranteed funding.

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“We’ve been overwhelmed in the past with support from the public who make donations along the route and this is also crucial to cover the growing costs for this fabulous winter parade and celebration on winter solstice.”

The Burning the Clocks celebration in Brighton last year. Photograph: Simon Dack PhotographyThe Burning the Clocks celebration in Brighton last year. Photograph: Simon Dack Photography
The Burning the Clocks celebration in Brighton last year. Photograph: Simon Dack Photography

As per previous years, investors will receive different prizes based on the size of their donation, including personalised lanterns, meals at restaurants such as The Chilli Pickle, Terre à Terre and The Ivy in the Lanes, and VIP viewing tickets to watch the event from a prime location on the beach.

Also among the prizes, are 30 limited-edition giclee prints created by Brighton illustrator and printmaker Graham Carter, who has created original artwork for the celebration for seven years.

Mr Varah added: “I’d like to encourage anyone who wants to join us on the parade, or anyone who has enjoyed it in the past, to take a look at some of our new prizes on offer this year.

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“I’d like to say a huge personal thank you to all of the local restaurants and organisations who have donated prizes to help us raise crucial funding.”

The Burning the Clocks 2018 in Brighton. Photograph: Simon Dack PhotographyThe Burning the Clocks 2018 in Brighton. Photograph: Simon Dack Photography
The Burning the Clocks 2018 in Brighton. Photograph: Simon Dack Photography

Same Sky is expecting about 20,000 spectators to attend the event, with 2,000 people due to take part in the parade, which starts at New Road from 6.30pm and follows a course through the city centre to the seafront.

For 2019, it has the title Temps Perdu, from French novelist Marcel Proust’s work À la recherche du temps perdu – In search of lost time. The charity says the theme is ‘a response to the current challenges of global warming, community cohesion and migration’ and relates to ‘shared memories, lost things, things we want to keep and treasure and moments we hold dear’ and ‘above all how we all have a common humanity forged by sharing our lives, loves and memories’.

For more on the Crowdfunding campaign, visit crowdfunder.co.uk/burning-the-clocks-2019

Earlier this year, Royal Mail recognised the Burning the Clocks as part of a stamp series of eight annual UK customs. Read more here

Related topics:SkyBrighton