Llandudno is preparing for one of its most colourful annual spectacles, as more than 150 Honda Goldwing motorcycles descend on the town for the Llandudno Goldwing Light Parade on Saturday, September 5.

The event has become a popular fixture on the town's late-summer calendar, attracting riders from across the UK and thousands of spectators to see the motorcycles transformed with elaborate lights, colours and decorations.

The bikes will be lined up along the promenade from 10am until 4pm, giving visitors the chance to see them up close before the main event gets underway later in the evening.

Costume judging takes place on the promenade at 7.30pm, followed at around 8pm by the rolling light parade, as the illuminated Goldwings make their way around Llandudno before returning to the promenade for a static light show.

The event is free to attend, with collections raising money for the Wales Air Ambulance and Lions Charities. First aid cover will be provided by St John Ambulance.

The parade has a strong charitable history. Organisers say previous Llandudno Goldwing light parades have raised thousands of pounds for good causes including Llandudno RNLI, Blood Bikes and Lions charities. The Wales Air Ambulance says the event has raised £14,600 for the charity over the years.

Organiser Zenon ‘Sid’ Wozniak said the event has grown considerably since he first became involved. What was once watched by a few hundred people has developed into an event attracting thousands, with more than 150 bikes expected to take part this year.

The Goldwing itself is an unusual motorcycle for a parade of this kind. Honda's flagship touring machine is large, designed for long-distance riding and traditionally associated with comfort, touring equipment and, on many examples, extensive customisation. At the Llandudno event, that customisation becomes part of the entertainment, with riders spending months fitting lights and decorations to create individual displays.

The organisers describe the motorcycles as the ‘Rolls Royce of motorbikes’, while the charity says the spectacle has become particularly popular with families, with children drawn to the brightly illuminated bikes and music systems.

The event has also become increasingly unusual within the UK. According to the organisers, there were once around a dozen similar Goldwing light events around Britain, but that number has fallen to only a handful, making Llandudno one of the remaining destinations for enthusiasts wanting to combine a Goldwing gathering with a large public light parade.

Its success has also created a direct link between the motorcycling community and the Wales Air Ambulance. Riders have visited the charity's air base and met members of the emergency medical crews, helping to strengthen the fundraising relationship behind the annual event.

The Wales Air Ambulance is a particularly relevant cause for a motorcycle event. Its crews provide advanced emergency medical care at the scene of serious incidents across Wales, including treatment such as anaesthesia and blood transfusions, before patients are taken to the most appropriate hospital when necessary. The charity says it needs to raise around £13 million each year to keep its helicopters and rapid response vehicles operating.

For Llandudno, the parade also provides a boost to the town outside the traditional peak summer period, bringing riders, families and spectators into the resort and encouraging visitors to spend time in the town's shops, cafés, pubs and accommodation.

The organisers are expecting more than 3,000 people to line the streets over the weekend, with volunteers and Lions members helping to marshal the event and keep spectators and riders safe.

The Goldwings will be on the promenade from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, September 5. The evening parade begins at approximately 8pm.

There is no charge to watch the event, although visitors are encouraged to support the charity collections.

The event's organisers say the parade has become a combination of motorcycle gathering, family spectacle and charity fundraiser – with the lights providing the excuse for Llandudno to put on a particularly colourful show as summer comes to an end.