Every year, I am given the immense honour and privilege of producing the Basingstoke Festival opening parade. I’m not going to lie, it is a mammoth task, a whirlwind of creativity and something that fills me with absolute excitement, terror and joy.
This year, our theme is Mystical Beasts, a concept that is incredibly close to my heart. To us, mystical beasts symbolise everything that makes Basingstoke great: the idea that you can be a little bit different, unique or quirky and still be warmly welcomed into the heart of our community.
When you look back at history, this is exactly what parades were always meant to do. They were initially performed as a way to join people from completely different backgrounds together. Take the Notting Hill Carnival, for example – it was originally created so that immigrants arriving in London, who were facing immense friction and division, could find a shared voice and feel truly connected to the place they now lived in. Art and culture possess this incredible, unifying power to bridge gaps and heal divides when words fail.
That is precisely why we chose to have absolutely no age limit on our first ever design competition this year. We wanted every single person in our community, from toddlers with crayons to grandparents with a lifetime of stories, to feel included and valued.
We were absolutely blown away to receive over 70 entries from our talented public, which we have narrowed down to five incredible finalists. We cannot wait to officially welcome this brand-new, community-designed Beast of Basingstoke to the streets.
Right now, we are already working with over 300 inspiring young people to bring the rest of the vision to life. The energy behind the scenes is electric, with Brownies, Guides, Rangers, Squirrels, and Beavers all pouring their hearts into the preparations alongside three brilliant primary schools, charities, local dance troop and drama clubs all getting involved.
But the magic isn’t complete just yet, we are still looking for more people to join in. Whether you want to march with us or help us build the spectacle, we are officially opening our doors at the Creative Emporium in Festival Place for our brand-new Parade Club. Running every single evening in the week leading up to the big day on Friday 19 June, it’s the ultimate creative hub. You can come in to craft your very own wings, unicorn horns and head dresses to wear in the procession, or lend a hand with the finishing touches on our giant puppets.
I am so incredibly proud to guide this wonderful parade. Whether you drop into the Creative Emporium to create with us or cheer us on from the pavement, we can’t wait to see you when the spectacle kicks off at 5.30pm on 19 June!
By Becky Kitter, Scratch Built Productions
