Thousands watch on as Children's Parade marks start of Brighton Festival

THOUSANDS of children kicked-off the Brighton Festival at the fun-filled Children's Parade.

Around 5,000 children from primary and secondary schools across the city turned out for the annual event which is touted by organisers as the largest of its kind in Europe.

The streets of Brighton's city centre were filled with eye-catching displays, striking costumes and music inspired by this year's theme Poetry in Motion.

Each of the 67 schools and community groups performed a well-known poem, including works by Shakespeare, Spike Milligan and Lewis Carroll.

Kicking off the parade was Downs View School special school with a giant duck and pupils in quacking costumes in homage to their duck-inspired poem.

Headteacher Adrian Carver said: "We've had an incredible time this morning. It's wonderful Downs View is leading the parade in terms of showing the inclusive approach to education in the city."

Coldean Primary School wowed spectators with a rather big jam sandwich and 65 reception pupils in wasp outfits inspired by John Vernon Lord's children's book.

While students from Heathfield Community College manned a giant caterpillar puppet for their take on the Libby Houston's The Dream of the Cabbage Caterpillars.

Year 9 student Isabelle Dixon, 14, said: "Preparing for the event was a lot of hard work.

"But now we are here I love it because loads of people are watching and its great being a part of it - it feels really special."

This year organisers estimated 20,000 people packed the streets for the parade.

The parade started in Kensington Street led by Grammy-nominated Hot 8 Brass Band who brought their New Orleans style, winding through the city's streets to a finish in Madeira Drive.

The event jointly produced by Brighton Festival and community arts charity Same Sky is in its 25th year and officially launches the festival.

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."

Read Monday's The Argus for a Children's Parade eight-page special.

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Brighton Festival Children's Parade 2017

"Add your pictures of the Brighton Festival Children's Parade as it makes its way round the city."

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From Aoife Boylan

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Children's Parade 2017

From Community contributor

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St Luke's Primary School with their Loch Ness Monster.

From Experienced Optimist

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The parade moving along East Street.

From Angeline Muca

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The Argus: My daughter Jessica very excited and about to start the children's parade route along with myself in happy clown theme for west Blatchington primary school.

My daughter Jessica very excited and about to start the children's parade route along with myself in happy clown theme for west Blatchington primary school.