Happy 20th birthday Pegasus | Lismore City News

As the Lismore Lantern Parade draws near, organisers celebrate the birthday of one of its signature lanterns, and the rebirth of another.

Crowd favourite Pegasus turns twenty this year.

It was the first big lantern built by the one of the team’s long time lantern builders, Brett Haydon, and it has been a part of the parade ever since.

Pegasus has two brothers, commissioned for the Ekka in Brisbane, but Lantern Parade director Jyllie Jackson said she is not sure where they are now.

Like it’s enduring mythology, Pegasus is a survivor, making it through two major floods. The lantern was badly damaged in the February 2022 flood, but has been refurbished and will be a part of the parade again this year.

Another lantern has been reborn after the floods.

The SES has had a lantern in the parade for the past 18 years. In the flood last year, it got really badly trashed, but was “stuck it together with cello tape and love”.

Jyllie said “it really wasn’t fit for purpose again for this year”, so over the past month, members of the Lismore SES have been at the lantern parade room in Keen St to build a brand new boat.

SES headquarters has provided funding for the new boat, and Jyllie said it has been a great team building exercise for an organisation that itself, was battered in the aftermath of the flood.

“I think it is just so good. It’s been a really bonding process. I think they copped it a bit last year and I think this is something that will bring back a bit of light back for them,” she said.

“As an organisation, we just adore them, and we always have. They have been helping us out since almost the first few parades, in one capacity or another. They will be part of the parade again.”

Jyllie said the tinny lanterns won’t make an appearance this year, as, like the parade’s theme suggests, it’s all about “the gates of renewal”.

“It’s about renewal – with the new boat, and renewal for us as a community,” Jyllie said.

The parade on June 24 will make its way to the Fiery Finale, which will be held on the banks of the river at Riverside Park.

They will be collecting donations on the night, but you can make a contribution at the Summerland Credit Union or on the Lismore Lantern Parade website.