Although we may not have the weather of Rio or Trinidad we certainly have the carnival spirit! Each year the streets of Stockton are filled with samba rhythms as the parade dances its way down the High Street, greeting its audience with a vibrant mix of colourful costume and giant characters.
Local schools and community groups spend weeks preparing their costumes using thousands of sequins and a mountain of glitter to put the finishing touches on their carnival creations!
In 2011 the People’s Choice Competition gave the people of Stockton the chance to choose the theme.
The winning theme, chosen by Mark Watson, was Dare to Dream? It brings together our hopes and aspirations for the future alongside the ritual of bedtime stories and the bizarre and surreal worlds in our dreams. The carnival featured Dream Keeper alongside some favourite bedtime story characters and the Baku – a mythical creature who devours bad dreams.
The carnival starts from Church Road dancing its way down the High Street to Trinity Green finishing with a spectacular finale performance.
