COLOURS and fun will return to the banks of the Tweed River this year for the 11th annual Tweed River Festival.

The festival will begin on November 12 but the main event, the lantern parade and fireworks, will light up the Tweed on November 17.

On the day families can take part in making and decorating their own lanterns, enjoy delicious food stalls and kick back with some great entertainment.

Co-ordinator Jane Lofthouse said the festival was to promote awareness.

"The river is an important part of our lives because it really does provide," she said.

"It's such a great resource."

This year the spectacular parade will be led by The Samba Blisstas, a colourful and fun drumming group.

Ms Lofthouse said anyone could join in the fun and she was currently on the hunt for volunteers to support and hold some of the iconic lanterns.

"We've got a goanna, kangaroo, a big dragon which requires five people to carry it, musical instruments and an intricate red belly black snake," she said.

She is also searching for people who would be keen to park their kayaks and canoes in the Jack Evans Boat Harbour and place lanterns on to them to be part of the parade.

About 300 people will participate in the parade, 200 of them school students and more than 4000 people are expected to come take in the sights.

The free parade will be followed by an epic fireworks display.

If you want to create and decorate a lantern it will cost you $12 and Ms Lofthouse warned people to get there early because they sell our very quickly.

There are stacks of other events going on throughout the week leading up to the lantern parade, head to tweed.nsw.gov.au to find out more information.

To register to carry a lantern or paddle a canoe in the parade, contact Tweed Shire Council on 02 6670 2400 or 1300 292 872.