After very careful consideration a joint decision was made by organisers Same Sky and Brighton and Hove City Council to cancel this years event in the interest of public safety. After three days of icy conditions, many roads had cleared and the situation had improved but sadly conditions on Madeira Drive were still incredibly treacherous.

We arrived to set up and found ourselves skating on a mile long sheet of ice on the south pavement, with a similar situation on the middle terrace and the Marina Parade pavement. It was quickly clear that no amount of scraping and gritting was going to be sufficient to make it safe for an audience of thousands and so many young participants. Even with a forecast of rain for the afternoon, there was no guarantee that it would clear the ice, or that it would freeze again after dark. It was clear that a final decision must be made early in the day so we could inform everyone of our plans. We explored a wide range of possibilities to make the event possible in some form, with fantastic support from the Council but were unable to find a solution that was safe and manageable at such short notice.

Everyone in our team and at the Council agreed that to cancel was our only option – it was a difficult decision and not one we took lightly. Same Sky has an exemplary record of producing successful events in a wide range of conditions throughout the year and we have never cancelled Burning the Clocks due to weather before. It was a great disappointment after all the hard work that had gone into producing all the wonderful creations that were to make up the ‘Death of Time’ theme for this year.

We would really like to thank our sponsors and supporters for their understanding of our situation – when an event is cancelled at short notice, all the event costs are incurred in full which has left us with no option to reschedule the event this year. The generous donations that the public make at the event each year are an essential part of what makes it possible to produce this free event for the city and Same Sky will carry that loss as a result of the cancellation.

We would also like to thank all our participants, artists and volunteers for their fantastic contribution this year. We have heard that some of you continued with your own solstice celebrations with your lanterns in your gardens in the spirit of Burning the Clocks. If you made a lantern from a kit and would like to keep it and come to the event next year, you are very welcome - please just let us know if you are coming well in advance so we can plan for the right number of participants. We look forward to seeing you at Burning the Clocks in 2010.

Burning the Clocks is an antidote to the excesses of the commercial Christmas. People gather to make paper and willow lanterns to carry through their city and burn on the beach as a token for the end of the year. No lantern is better for its purpose than any other, all are unique to the maker and precious, but all are given up to be burnt to greet the lengthening days.

Burning the Clocks combines a family solstice parade with a high quality fire show and fireworks for the whole city. The lantern makers invest their lanterns with their wishes, hopes, and fears and then pass them into the fire.

Same Sky creates new urban rituals to replace those traditional festivals that were lost in the dash to be new and non superstitious. These events take elements of the past, delight in the seasons, celebration of place and home, giving and sharing of thoughts and wishes and put them into a format that can be enjoyed regardless of faith or creed.

Burning the Clocks is produced with a grant from Brighton and Hove City Council and the goodwill of local companies and individuals. The parade consists of around 1,000 participants and attracts audiences of 20,000 people from the region.

If you would like to help secure this event for this and future years, we welcome offers of support and donations. There are great benefits, such as: association with a high profile, high quality community event, credits in attractive publicity material, press and PR opportunities, a VIP reception on the night and opportunities for your staff and their families to engage with the project (perhaps with your own lantern making workshop!).

Please call 01273 571106 for further information or use our contact form or email info@burningtheclocks.co.uk