Brighton Festival Children's Parade

The Brighton Festival Children's Parade is scheduled for 15 March 2026, serving as the opening event for the Brighton Festival. This year, the organisers have chosen 'Dream Again' as the central theme. The event has been a part of the city's cultural calendar since 1985 and is managed by Same Sky, the organisation also responsible for the Burning the Clocks event held each December. After the parade did not take place for the last two years, this edition involves a return to the streets with a procession that includes large-scale sculptures, choreographed dance routines, and live music.

The procession is set to start at 10:30 am on Jubilee Street. The route takes the participants down East Street, passing by the Terre a Terre restaurant, before concluding at Madeira Drive. For those navigating the city that morning, it is worth noting that road closures will be in effect from 6:00 am to allow for the movement of the parade. The event is quite large in scale, involving approximately 5,000 participants, including students and teachers from 65 local schools and community groups. These groups represent a wide range of ages, from primary school children to secondary students.

The preparation for the parade involves the creation of various costumes and the decoration of floats. In previous years, these have included items such as giant beds and dreamcatchers, reflecting the creative efforts of the schools involved. While the parade is primarily aimed at families and the local community, it remains an open public event. Spectators typically gather along North Street and Marine Parade to watch the procession as it moves through the city centre. It provides an opportunity to observe the results of the work carried out by the participating schools and community groups as they mark the beginning of the festival season.