Brighton Festival Children's Parade

The Brighton Festival Children's Parade is scheduled for February 14th, 2026, serving as the traditional opening event for the wider Brighton Festival. This gathering has been a part of the city's history since 1985, growing into a large-scale community project that involves approximately 5,000 children from 65 local schools. The main features of the procession include various sculptures, choreographed dance routines, and live music. It is a specific type of display where the creative work of school-aged children is presented to the public in a mobile, outdoor format, marking the official start of the festival season in Brighton.

The parade is set to begin at 10:30 am, with the starting point located on Jubilee Street. From there, the participants follow a route that moves through North Street, continues down East Street, and eventually reaches the finish line at Madeira Drive and Marine Parade. Because the event takes place on public roads, it is free for spectators to attend and watch the procession pass by. While the parade itself doesn't require a ticket, other events within the festival program are paid; for instance, the Judi Love "All About the Love" show is listed at £32.50. This distinction is useful for those planning their weekend around the festival's various offerings.

The scale of the event is often highlighted by those involved, with descriptions calling it a "joyous parade" and participants noting that "this will be epic." The focus remains on the visual impact of the "fantastic sculptures" and the energy of the music and dance routines. It is an event designed for a broad audience, particularly families and residents interested in the local school community's contributions to the festival. The timing and central location mean that the streets along the route will be occupied by thousands of spectators and participants for the duration of the morning. This tradition has defined the start of the festival for over forty years, providing a platform for thousands of students to showcase their choreographed routines and artistic projects to the wider city.