THE Brighton Dance Parade, one of last summer's most popular open-air events, will not take place this year.

Organisers have called it off because of a lack of funds and the amount of planning needed to deal with the anticipated huge crowds. The cancellation follows last week's announcement that the Essential Festival will not be taking place this year, and means the area has lost its two biggest music events. Last year's hugely-successful parade saw an estimated 20,000 people lining the seafront as a succession of carnival-style floats pumped out dance music. But a loss-making party at the Brighton Centre afterwards left the organisers with large debts. Dance Parade spokeswoman Louise Edge said the parade would be back next year on an even larger scale. She said: "We need this breathing space to pay off our debt and work really hard setting up the Dance Parade '99, which will be attended by an estimated 50,000 people. "We are putting larger sponsorship deals in place for 1999 and 2000 which will mean an even bigger, smoother and more colourful parade." Aseries of fund-raising events are taking place to help finance next year's event, including the launch of a compilation CD. Aregular club night, Dub 'n' Bass, will also be taking place at the Honey Club on Brighton seafront on the last Thursday of every month, starting from April 23.

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