Stockton Sparkles Lantern Parade

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as our Lantern Parade arrives at Stockton Sparkles!

Our annual Illuminated Lantern Parade will bring the festive cheer, returning to Stockton High Street, hundreds of school and community groups will dazzle their way sporting a glittering array of community created lanterns, street theatre and atmospheric festive music.

Other Sparkles events

Don’t miss the rest of our Sparkles events including:

• Weekend with Santa: Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November, 10am to 5pm
• Christmas Market & Victorian Fair: Friday 5 to Sunday 7 December
• Lantern Parade: Sunday 7 December, 4pm

Car Parking for Sparkles

There are over a thousand parking spaces in Stockton plus Wellington Square car park.

The Shambles car park will be unavailable from 4pm to midnight from Tuesday 25 November until Thursday 27 November, Friday 28 November and Saturday 29 November, Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 December and from Friday 5 December until Sunday 7 December.

High Street Car Park North will also be unavailable from 6pm to midnight on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 November and from Wednesday 3 December to Sunday 7 December.

From Monday 24 November 2025 until Saturday 31 January 2026 the Council will be offering the first hour’s parking free of charge in all Council-owned short stay car parks in Stockton. It’s also free to park on Sundays and every day after 5pm.

Here are more details and a full list of parking options

Road closures and public transport during Sparkles

Some road closures will also be in place, including the High Street, for launch night (Thursday 27 November) and the Lantern Parade (Sunday 7 December). This will also affect bus stops so visit the TVCA Bus Travel website to help you find the best options for your journey.

Thursday 27 November, 5am – Midnight

• High Street (between Church Rd and Shambles Car Park)
• Knowles Street
• Finkle Street

Sunday 7 December, 5am – Midnight

• High Street (from Shambles Car Park to Norton Road / Bishopton Lane junction)
• Church Road (between The Square West and High Street)
• Knowles Street
• Finkle Street

Markets during Sparkles

Our regular Wednesday, Friday and Saturday markets will still be on during Sparkles, but stalls will be moved on some days down to the Shambles Car Park.