Brighton Festival Children's Parade

The Brighton Festival Children's Parade is scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026, marking the traditional official start of the wider Brighton Festival. This event is always a huge spectacle, bringing a massive burst of energy and colour right into the city centre. It’s a truly impressive community effort, involving around 5,000 participants—children aged 5 to 18 from approximately 80 local schools and youth groups. If you’ve seen it before, you know what to expect: a wonderful display of fantastic, often enormous, sculptures, alongside choreographed dance routines and fabulous music, all tied together by a central theme. In previous years, themes have focused on concepts like 'one world, learning and growing from each other,' giving you an idea of the positive atmosphere surrounding the day.

If you plan on heading out to watch, the parade kicks off promptly at 10:30 am. The starting point is Jubilee Street, and the procession makes its way through some of the city's busiest spots. The full route is quite extensive, taking the participants down New Road, onto North Street, then East Street, and finally along Grand Junction Road before reaching the finish line at Madeira Drive. Given the sheer number of participants, it’s a long procession, and it’s estimated that the tail end will wrap up around 1:00 p.m. at the destination. It’s worth keeping the route in mind, not just for finding a good viewing spot, but also for navigating the city that morning, as these central streets will be closed off while the parade is moving through.

Since this is a public street parade, it’s completely free to watch, making it a great morning out for families and anyone looking to catch a glimpse of the local creative talent. The entire event is put together by the local charity Same Sky, which handles the logistics and creative direction for the thousands of young people involved. Watching the children showcase their work—from the massive, intricate sculptures they carry to the coordinated routines they perform—is genuinely impressive and highlights the strong arts focus in our local schools. It’s a fantastic way to see the community come together and celebrate the start of the Festival season right here in Brighton.