All Locations
- Easton Square, Easton, Portland DT5 1BY, UK
The Parade is BACK - Keep Portland Weird and Wonderful!
The Parade is back, and this year it’s a bumper Dusk til’ Dark edition.
Everyone is invited to this celebratory parade through the streets of Portland led by YOU, our festival artists and b-side volunteers.
We want as many community members as possible to get involved, so tell your friends, your family, your sports team and your knitting club.
This year’s parade is a partnership production with Portland artist Sophie Fretwell and has a Japanese twist this year. Sophie’s project ‘Islands of Imagination: Portland & Japan’ explores the folklore and traditions of island communities (including bunnies!). In Japanese folklore, Yokai are mysterious shape-shifting spirits, monsters and sprites. But what would a Portland Yokai look like?
Join us on September 8th from dusk till dark as we bring these mystical beings to life at the Portland Parade!
Expect the unexpected and see what strange creatures you’ll encounter…so dress up in your weirdest, we can’t wait to see your outfits this year!
Schedule of events:
6-7pm FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES
Takashi Matsumoto, from Club Origami brings his dance performance for children. Just back from a world tour where he shared his work and ideology. He brings his performance last seen at the Tate Modern at Easter and his exquisite origami skills.
Tables will be set out with small card-sized prints of the manga re-draws of “Spirit of Portland” competition entries – come and find yours!
6.30-7.00pm I-nichi will be playing live- lead singer Seiko Nemoto lives in Tokyo, but is `Wessex active’ meaning that since 2017, she has played only in the Dorset/Somerset area. In 2019, with her previous band Dai-Nichi – she toured with The Chesterfields – playing in Manchester, London and Bristol too. i-nichi celebrated the launch of the single Mimiko on Spinout Nuggets in Bridport with much help from three wonderfully accomplished musicians who will join us at the festival.
7-8pm PARADING
Ethan Skillman, local thespian will be the DJ/emcee for this event, leading the parade from his fluffy motorised bunny. The bunny will be flanked by members of the newly-formed, all-female local punk band “Underground Mutton”.
Come and dance with all sorts of wild and wonderful creatures!
8-9pm WELCOME PARTY
Come and meet the new spirit of Portland, a large-scale, illuminated puppet which will be revealed in Easton Gardens, made up of parts of all the Spirit of Portland competition entries.
Listen to a brand new song by I-nichi who has composed a new song to welcome in the new Spirit of Portland
Here’s the planned route:
We will meet at Easton Square Gardens at 6pm and then start walking around 6.30pm. We will walk down to the Portland Museum, and back again to Easton Square. We have organised a road closure so we have the whole street to parade and dance in.
Please note the entire route is a wide street with level access and we especially encourage anyone who identifies as disabled to take part. If you have any access requirements please just contact our Community Projects Coordinator catherine@b-side.org.uk
It is completely FREE to take part in the parade, – just sign up and then turn up at Easton Square Gardens at 6pm with your outfits at the ready!
REGISTER TO TAKE PART NOW – you don’t need to book to take part but it does help us plan if we know how many people to expect.
