Preparations are underway for this Saturday’s (7 September) Carlisle Puppet Pageant Parade.
The community event is produced by Prism Arts with support by Carlisle City Council and The National Lottery Community Fund. This year’s theme is ‘A Kaleidoscope of Carlisle Life’ and will celebrate people from all walks of life from weavers, coffee merchants, to astronomers, to fishermen.
The parade will be filled with large scale bright and wonderful puppets. All the puppets have been created with community groups, organisations and schools.
The Puppet Pageant Parade will set off from the Carlisle Old Fire Station at 12noon. It will journey up to the pedestrianised area and travel around the Farmers’ Market ending in front of the Old Town Hall at approximately 1pm, where the Mayor of Carlisle, Cllr Marilyn Bowman, will introduce each puppet.
The parade includes spectacular puppets such as a sheep made out of over 300 pom-poms, a four-metre salmon, a flying cow, a boat sailing through the stars and a man sitting in a giant teapot.
During the parade Blue Jam’s B Jamba band and Improv Choir will perform followed by music from Jazz(ish) outside the Old Town Hall.
After the parade has ended, there will be street theatre performed by Prism Arts. Spectators will have the chance to meet Sir Cyril of the squirrels as he re-enacts some of his most famous quest, aided and abetted by his faithful sidekick Audrey the cat.
Prism Arts worked with the following groups to create the puppets: Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s group at Gosling Syke, Belle Vue Primary School, Tullie House’s Hope Street group, Multicultural Cumbria, Heathlands Project, Ex-offenders with the Probation Service, Prism Arts Studio Theatre, Carlisle Women’s Group, Carlisle Youth Zone and Festival goers at Music on the Marr.
Ali McCaw, Prism Arts, said: “This year’s Pageant Puppet Parade will feature a kaleidoscope of people and achievements that have made the city what it is today. We would like to thank Carlisle City Council and the National Lottery Community Fund, and all the groups, schools and volunteers that have provided their support. Hundreds of hours of work have gone into making the magnificent puppets. It’ll be an event not to be missed.”
