THOUSANDS of people lined the streets as Oxford kick-started it's Christmas Light Festival in style.

Families watched on as a parade of bands and schoolchildren with lanterns lit up the historic streets of the city to mark the start of the festive period on Friday night.

A lantern procession featuring 180 children from eight of the city's primary schools paraded from Bonn Square, Cornmaket Street, and around the Radcliffe Camera before finishing in Broad Street.
Youngsters made their lanterns from recycled materials and marched with several brass bands whose sounds echoed around the street.

Aga Ward, a parent from Rose Hill, whose 10-year-old daughter Alicja [cor] said she attends the lighting of the city every year. She added: "It's great for the children. I think it's a also great for bringing the community together. The children get involved and enjoy themselves which is brilliant. It really sets up the Christmas period."

Two centrepiece light shows followed the procession on Friday night, which saw festive images projected on to the Clarendon Building, in Broad Street, by Anomic Multimedia, a firm which has previously been behind dazzling displays at the Tower of London and stages at Glastonbury Festival.
Pupils from Wood Farm Primary School also took part in the parade.

Teacher Ruth Shama said children from Year 4 to Year 6 had been taking part in workshops to build their lanterns. She added: "The children made the lanterns themselves in school.
"We take part in it every year. The children really enjoy the evening. It's so exciting and a great atmosphere."

Many of the city’s landmarks opened their doors to visitors throughout the festival, including Oxford University's Ashmolean, Natural History and Pitt Rivers museums, along with the Bodleian Library, Modern Art Oxford, the Story Museum, the Oxford Playhouse and Oxford Ice Rink.

About 100,000 people visited. It was organised by Oxford City Council and partly funded by a £15,000 grant from the Arts Council England. Janet Willis, from central Oxford, who was watching the parade with friends on Friday night said she attends to the event every year.

She added: "The lantern procession is the best thing about it. It lights up the streets and it's great to see everyone come out and get together. It is a marker for the beginning of the Christmas period."