Let’s make Derry’s Spring Carnival parade the biggest ever staged

The Mayor Councillor Michaela Boyle with Caoimhe ONeill and Helen Quigley from the North West Carnival Initiative, at the launch of the annual St. Patricks Day Spring Carnival.

The ‘Rebirth and Renewal’ parade will be the highlight of the city’s St Patrick’s Day festivities and aims to celebrate the return of brighter colours to our landscape.

In previous years participants have included schools, sports clubs and community groups along with local and visiting dance troops and bands and North West Carnival Initiative Co-ordinator Jim Collins wants to see as many new additions as possible to this year’s centre piece.

“The Spring Carnival Parade has been a hugely positive experience for local groups to get involved in,” he said. “It is attended by thousands of people and will be a bright and vibrant celebration of the beginning of the brighter seasons,” he said.

“Groups who sign up can put their own interpretation on the theme of Rebirth and Renewal and will be provided with support in costume making, dance and movement, small prop production and transport to the parade start.

“If you haven’t got involved before now is the perfect time, we already have a number of new groups registered including St Patrick’s Primary School in Pennyburn and we are keen to invite many more.”

Expressions of interest forms for the 2020 Spring Carnival parade are available by e mailing [email protected] or call Jim Collins on 028 71 414243.

The St Patrick’s Day parade is part of a packed programme of events for the 2020 Spring Carnival that includes the return of the Ubuntu Global Festival of World Traditions, live music stages in The Guildhall Main Hall and Square and the best of local produce in the Food Village.

In Your Space Circus will bring colour and animation to the festival with a variety of installations and characters including their show ‘Springtime’, a spectacular visual comedy with performers suspended on springs and a solo aerial performance ‘The Phoenix Rises’.

The Ubuntu Global Festival will be hosted at the Guildhall, Tower Museum and the Craft Village and will be a celebration of diversity and inclusion through traditional music, song, dance and workshops from around the world. Ubuntu is supported by the Good Relations Team in Derry City and Strabane District Council which is funded by The Executive Office (TEO) and Council’s Good Relations Programme.

Other highlights include an explosive dance routine in Waterloo Place from the Afrikan Warriors, a family fun day at An Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Arts and Crafts in the Central Library and traditional Irish Music and Dance in Foyleside Shopping Centre. Full details of the Spring Carnival are available at www.derrystrabane.com/springcarnival.