Magical Lantern Festival 2016 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens

I booked a evening ticket to see the Magical Lantern Festival on Saturday 10th December 2016. After a lot of waiting around town, I got the bus to Westbourne Road in Edgbaston. Was there between 4:50pm and 5:30pm. It was raining on my visit, so I got quite soaked going around the trail of colourful lit up Magical Lanterns. I've not been back since (apart from the dinosaurs / ice age)

The Magical Lantern Festival first came to Birmingham at Christmas 2016 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Westbourne Road in Edgbaston. It was on from the 25th November 2016 until the 2nd January 2017. They returned to Birmingham for the Christmas 2017 season at Kings Heath Park (I only saw that in the daylight) and back to the Botanical Gardens a year later at Christmas 2018 (I only saw them from the bus or walking past on the Westbourne Road). I'm not aware of if it's returning for the Christmas 2019 season.

You book your ticket online, and get it on Eventbrite with a QR code (or print it out - but the paper version would get wet in the rain).

My visit on the evening on the 10th December 2016 just after 5pm. But it was raining, but I did manage to get around the trail (my camera got wet).

"Merry Christmas". A welcome from Santa.

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2016 with penguins and a snowman. Also presents.

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Colourful birds and flowers.

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A jug of water and flowers.

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A reindeer.

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The Chinese Pagoda that you would find in the middle of Holloway Circus in Birmingham City Centre.

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A Bug's Life. A mushroom and a giant ant.

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A peacock. I've seen real peacocks here in the daylight hours (in the years after this visit).

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Santa Claus in his sleigh.

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The world famous Bullring bull in Magical Lantern form.

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A Christmas tree Magical Lantern style.

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I think this is supposed to look like the glasshouses of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

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One of the clowns.

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Canopy over the fountain.

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Frog on a lily.

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Green ant from A Bug's Life. Or Antz?

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Mushrooms and flowers with water droplets.

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Pearl in an oyster.

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Reindeer and a snowman near the entrance canopy.

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Exiting back onto Westbourne Road, giant teddy bear and presents.

dndimg alt="Magical Lantern Festival 2016" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Magical Lantern Festival (Dec 2016) (20).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I've also got daylight photos from Kings Heath Park from December 2017. I will put some of those in another post soon.

For a similar post on the Jurassic Kingdom and Ice Age: The Lost Kingdom events follow this link to this post: Jurassic Kingdom 2017 and Ice Age: The Lost Kingdom 2019 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

More photos here on my Flickr Magical Lantern Festival including photos from 2016 to 2018.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.

The Shire Country Park from the Stratford Road to Scribers Lane in Hall Green / Yardley Wood

This hidden parkland with walking paths is between Hall Green and Yardley Wood. Named after JRR Tolkien's The Shire from The Hobbit. The route takes you past Sarehole Mill. Then eventually through The Dingles and Trittiford Mill Pool. You don't have to do it all in one go. Even good for winter walks. Plenty of wildlife around too!

Greet Mill Meadows

The River Cole with it's waterfall seen in the Greet Mill Meadows section of the Shire Country Park during April 2009. Seen from the road bridge. This is on the no 6 bus route, also the no 1 and now 1A passes over this part of the Stratford Road. The Millstream Way heads along the River Cole towards Sarehole Mill.

dndimg alt="River Cole Greet Mill Meadows" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/River Cole Greet Mill Meadow Shire Country Park.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The flooded ford of the River Cole that crosses Green Road in Hall Green. Seen during March 2018. There is a footbridge for pedestrians. Cars though have to drive through the river. When flooded, they sometimes get stuck here! This is between the Greet Mill Meadows and the Sarehole Mill Recreation Ground.

dndimg alt="Green Road flooded ford" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Green Road Hall Green flooded ford.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Sarehole Mill Recreation Ground

This view of the Sarehole Mill Recreation Ground during March 2018 with new gravel footpath. The path leads towards Green Road and the flooded ford. The other direction leads to Sarehole Mill and Cole Bank Road (on the 11A / 11C and no 5 bus routes). On the Moseley / Hall Green border.

dndimg alt="Sarehole Mill Recreation Ground" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Sarehole Mill Recreation Ground.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

John Morris Jones Walkway

Seen during January 2011 from the Brook Lane end, this path leads towards the Cole Bank Road in Hall Green. That winter I found the path too muddy, so I didn't walk all the way. Usually better along here during the spring and summer months. It follows the path of the River Cole.

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The Dingles

This section of the Shire Country Park goes from Brook Lane towards Highfield Road on the Hall Green / Yardley Wood border. Seen here during a sunny March 2012. The River Cole and the Chinn Brook both flow through this area. When you get to Highfield Road, you have a choice: either head through the Chinn Brook Recreation Ground, or go around the Trittiford Mill Pool.

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Trittiford Mill Pool

The perfect place for a Christmas Day morning was was the Trittiford Mill Pool. Near Highfield Road and Priory Road in Yardley Wood. This was on the 25th December 2013. You can walk all the way around the lake, going past the River Cole. Many bird species to see. The usual gulls, swans, geese, ducks etc. The footpath was resurfaced in 2016. I even popped along when there was snow here during December 2017 (looked quite wintery).

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Scribers Lane

Beyond the Trittiford Mill Pool is Scribers Lane. This section seen during a walk in May 2016. Scribers Lane starts at the end of the Mill Pool, then heads towards Slade Lane alongside the River Cole. Beyond is more parkland that follows the Shakespeare line south of Yardley Wood Station, but I'm not sure if you can walk through the overgrowth, but it leads to Colebrook Road over in Solihull.

dndimg alt="Scribers Lane, Shire Country Park" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Scribers Lane Shire Country Park.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.

Birmingham suburban floral trails in previous years

In previous years there was a Floral Trail in Kings Heath. One year they had a display on Longbridge Island. And in Olympic and Paralympic years, they had pieces in Cannon Hill Park. Am not aware of any this summer though! 

You won't find any of these Floral features around the Birmingham suburbs now in 2019. They were there in past years. Kings Heath used to have its own Floral Trail from its BID team. Acocks Green is in Bloom most spring and summers each year. Cannon Hill Park looks lovely with its displays of flowers in the warmer months. Items similar to the former City Centre Floral Trails of past summers. Some had even previously been in the City Centre before! 

Guitars on York Road in Kings Heath during Summer 2012. Was where the Kings Heath Walk of Fame would have been. Cash Convertors was in the building which used to be the Ritz Ballroom. But a fire there in 2013 led to its demolition and a replacement building has yet to be built there. 

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Enjoy Kings Heath was in Kings Heath Village Square in the Autumn of 2012. A few years later they moved it to the corner of Howard Road and Alcester Road in 2015. It was still there in 2018.

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Cannon Hill Park has had Olympic and Paralympic inspired pieces during the summers of 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio). 

Olympic Breeze was in Cannon Hill Park near Edgbaston during the summer of 2012. It won Gold at the RHS Tatton Flower Show in 2012. Inspired by Sir Ben Ainslie. At the time a 4 time Gold medal winner at the Olympics. Seen on a rainy day. 

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Was a lot of Olympic / Paralympic inspired pieces in Cannon Hill Park during the Summer of 2016. This was called One Small Step. Was Birmingham City Council's entry to the Chelsea Flower Show in 2016. Cofton Nursery had recycled some Wicker pieces from 2012. Including their Usain Bolt sculpture. 

dndimg alt="One Small Step " dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/One Small Step Cannon Hill Park 2016.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

During the Summer of 2013 Birmingham was taking part in Entente Florale Europe. At Longbridge Island was this Mini and yellow flowers. Near Bournville College. Was before Austin Park and Longbridge Town Centre opened. 

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Whistles on the Acocks Green Village Green during 2015. A temporary sculpture, its not there now. But a permanent Acocks Green Village sign is now in the middle. 

dndimg alt="Whistles Acocks Green " dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Acocks Green Whistles on the green 2015.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.

Birmingham City Centre Floral Trail features in Victoria Square 2010 - 2019

A look at the Birmingham City Centre Floral Trail features in Victoria Square over the years outside of the Council House. From 2010 to 2019. There used to be a Floral Trail in the City Centre every year. Now just the odd piece. Including the Council's Gold winning Chelsea Flower Show displays. 

2010

In 2010 was a Spitfire in front of the Birmingham Council House. It had been on display at the Chelsea Flower Show. 

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2011

In 2011 a Chinook RAF twin bladed helicopter was in front of the Council House. It was from the Council's 2010 Chelsea Flower Show Gold winning display the Road to Recovery. 

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2012

Usain Bolt Wicker sculpture from the London 2012 Olympic Games. Jamaica trained that summer at the University of Birmingham. While the USA was at the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr. 

dndimg alt="Usain Bolt Victoria Square 2012" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Usain Bolt London 2012 Victoria Square Birmingham.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

2013

Another Spitfire in 2013,  part of Enlightenment. The rest was in Centenary Square before the Library of Birmingham opened. Was there since Armed Forces Day 2013.

dndimg alt="Enlightenment Spitfire 2013" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Enlightenment Birmingham City Centre Floral Trail Victoria Square 2013.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

2014

The 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1 was marked by this display with Trenches and biplanes. It was at the Chelsea Flower Show that year. 

dndimg alt="Trenches Victoria Square 2014" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Trenches WW1 Victoria Square 2014.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

2015

While The Big Hoot 2015 was on with painted owl sculptures. Kind of marked the end of the annual floral trail. But they were still putting out displays in the city centre. Again Biplanes and Trenches like the year before. Marking the 2nd year of the First World War 100 years later. 

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2016

Just a flower basket in Victoria Square outside the Council House during 2016. I don't think I saw anything else here that year. Was a trail of painted benches around in 2016 for The Big Read 2016.

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2017

Didn't see a Floral feature outside the Council House in 2017. But in May 2017 was this bunch of flowers for the Manchester terror attacks. That was the year of The Big Sleuth 2017 of painted bear sculptures. 

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2018

Was the Empire Windrush in 2018 outside of the Council House in Victoria Square. As usual it won Gold for Birmingham City Council at the Chelsea Flower Show. The train is recycled from previous years Floral Trails. Such as in Centenary Square outside the Library of Birmingham. Another year it was outside of Birmingham Snow Hill Station (2 years in a row I think). 

dndimg alt="Empire Windrush 2018" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Empire Windrush Birmingham Victoria Square 2018.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

2019

Not far from the view of the Knife Angel is Floellas Future. It won Gold for the City Council at the Chelsea Flower Show. Supported by Baroness Floella Benjamin. There is a turtle sculpture on here and palm trees. 

dndimg alt="Floellas Future 2019" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Floellas Future Victoria Square 2019.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.