Children’s Parade in Brighton delights spectators once again

More than 5,000 youngsters and teenagers from schools across Brighton and Hove danced, sang and twirled through the city centre’s streets with floats and dazzling costumes for the Children’s Parade, marking the official opening of the Brighton Festival.

Leading the procession was guest director for this year’s festival, the Grammy-nominated musician and composer Anoushka Shankar.

Anoushka Shankar at the head of the parade with the mayor of Brighton and Hove Councillor Mohammed Asaduzzaman (Image: Simon Dack) Inspired by Shankar’s chosen theme of “New Dawn”, artists from community-led arts maestros Same Sky, the charity behind the Burning the Clocks festival, collaborated with students, teachers and volunteers to bring the parade to life.

Read more: Brighton Festival 2025: Here’s what’s happening this weekend

Schools were asked to think about the future, how they wanted to change the world and to think of ideas to create a “better day”.

Many schools decided to use the theme to raise awareness of important environmental issues including sewage discharges with signs calling for “fishes not faeces”. Another float of a car with an angry driver said “no to cars”.

Schools wanted to make a statement about the environment (Image: The Argus) One environmentally conscious participant was Arlo Enticknap from Queen’s Park Primary School in Brighton.

The eight-year-old had learned about Queen’s Park pond which is an important habitat for wildlife.

Arlo Enticknap with his mum Libby (Image: The Argus) Queen’s Park School wrote a song that pupils sang during the procession calling for the pond to be kept clean and for swans to be saved.

Arlo said he had a “really good time” taking part in the parade.

Seven-year-old Anais Dieller, from St Luke’s Primary School, was dressed as a crayon for the parade. Pupils from the Brighton school were inspired by the children’s book The Day the Crayons Quit.

Anais’s mum Claire said it had been lovely to take part in another parade.

Anais Dieller (Image: The Argus) “There are a lot of very excited children,” she said.

“It’s been a very good day.”

Cheers erupted for St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School as pupils took part in their last ever parade.

St Joseph’s School taking part in its last parade (Image: The Argus) The school is due to close in July due to declining pupil numbers.

The largest of its kind in Europe, the free event has delighted participants and spectators for nearly 30 years. 

A picture gallery with all the photographs from today’s parade will follow later this afternoon.