A celebration of arts, culture and diversity will be taking place at the 9th annual Festival of Light.
The free festival is put on by the Maple Ridge Festival of Light Society and will feature entertainment by many different nationalities.
Starting at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24 at the centre court of Haney Place Mall participants are invited to make a free lantern to display during the parade later in the evening.
There will also be a presentation of certificates and awards to participants in the poetry competition and there will be readings by selected poets.
At 4:15 the entertainment will start with Boris Sichon and instruments from around the world.
Then Lozah, an Arabian dancer, will take to the stage, followed by Jane Wylie, a First Nations hoop and jingle dancer.
More poets will read their poetry, followed by the Stave Falls Scottish Dancers, and another poetry reading.
Nigel Tucker, on guitar, and Jesse Kazimir, on fiddle, will perform Celtic music, with a performance by the Peggy Peat School of Dance afterwards.
Shades of Green, a blend of Irish and folk music, will take to the stage, followed by the Spirit of the Pacific Dance Academy performing Polynesian dances, and the Sudnya Dance Academy performing traditional Indian dance.
At 7:15 p.m., the Lucky Lion Dancers, representing China, will perform, and at 7:45 p.m. the lantern parade weave through the mall.
There will be a free photo booth until 6 p.m. and a silent auction in support of the festival.
All 2017 poetry contest entries have been put in a book that will be for sale at Black Bond Books for $2.
• For more information, go to mrlanternfestival on Facebook or email inquiries@downtownmapleridge.ca.