127 years after they were first held to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, Derbyshire District Council's 2024 Matlock Bath Illuminations open this weekend, and runs every Saturday and Sunday night from 7th September until 27 October 2024.
The annual spectacle, which draws around 100,000 vistors is organsied by the Derbyshire Dales District Council, who took over the running of the event in 1984.
Matlock Bath Illuminations is a fun-packed family event featuring a spectacular parade of illuminated and decorated boats along the River Derwent.
During the 7-week season Matlock Bath Venetian Boat Builders' Association decorate themed models with an array of coloured lights.
The models are mounted on rowing boats and paraded on the River Derwent each Saturday (from around 7.45pm in September and from around 7pm in October) and Sundays (from around 7.30pm in September and 7pm in October) in Derwent Gardens, giving a unique and illuminous display.
The boats can only be viewed on admission into the gardens.
Images: Simon Beynon & Darbyshire Dales District Council.
There are fantastic firework displays every Saturday in October and the final night, Sunday 27 October. The fireworks light up the skies around Matlock Bath in multi-colours. The firework displays begin at 8.30pm.
Please note that on Saturdays in particular Matlock Bath can get extremely busy. For travel, timings and ticketing tips, see our FAQs
Both Saturdays and Sundays have themed nights and there's also entertainment including stilt walkers plus the fabulous parade of decorated boats on the River Derwent. Sundays are "family nights", when entertainment starts and finishes earlier, running from 6.00pm-8.30pm to take account of younger visitors having school the following morning.
Buy tickets here: Matlock Bath Illuminations event tickets from TicketSource.
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