PICTURES: Children's Parade opens Brighton Festival 2017

Thousands of youngsters took part in this year's Children's Parade on Saturday (May 6), marching through the streets of Brighton and showcasing creations around the theme of poetry.
Children's Parade, Brighton Festival (Photograph: Vic Frankowski)Children's Parade, Brighton Festival (Photograph: Vic Frankowski)
Children's Parade, Brighton Festival (Photograph: Vic Frankowski)

The annual event sees around 5,000 children take part in the parade, which opens the month-long Brighton Festival.

Celebrating poems from the likes of Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, Pam Ayres and many more, 5,000 children from 67 schools and community groups from across the region took part.

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Participants took inspiration from a wide range of well-known poems from across the ages, including The Witches’ Spell by Shakespeare; Silly Old Baboon by Spike Milligan; The Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll; and The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord.

Children's Parade, Brighton Festival (Photograph: Vic Frankowski)Children's Parade, Brighton Festival (Photograph: Vic Frankowski)
Children's Parade, Brighton Festival (Photograph: Vic Frankowski)

The parade was led by Grammy-nominated Hot 8 Brass Band, who brought their New Orleans style to Brighton’s streets, as well as this year’s guest director Kate Tempest.

Previous themes have seen children dress up as everything from letters of the alphabet and Brighton street names to books, mermaids and even slices of cake for the annual Children’s Parade.

Andrew Comben, chief executive of Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival, said: “We were hugely impressed once again with the ingenious ways in which schools have embraced the theme of the parade, ‘Poetry in Motion’, choosing poems by the likes of Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, Pam Ayres and many more. How fantastic to see clowns, cats, witches, and even a giant jam sandwich, parading through the streets of Brighton, led by the Hot 8 Brass Band. A fitting start to Brighton Festival.”

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Jointly produced by Brighton Festival and award-winning community arts organisation Same Sky and supported by Yeomans Toyota Brighton, with London Gatwick supporting Brighton Festival Family Programme, the annual Children’s Parade officially launches Brighton Festival and has delighted participants and spectators for over 25 years.

The Brighton Festival takes place from May 6 to 28.