Posted on by bfol_kerris

Final Countdown!
Ways to get involved
With only 5 days to go there are still a range of ways to get involved, but don’t hang about!

If you can’t join in beforehand, there may be spare costumes available on the day, and we’d love you to come and join us just to watch, follow along and enjoy the day. Please keep sharing and inviting friends- let’s make this a fantastic end to the summer holidays!
What’s on this week- Last chances to get involved.

Tuesday 27th, Wednesday 28th, Thursday 29th

We need dancers! Please help! 

Come and join Gil Burns to create dance and movement pieces for the parade.
Think moving Flash Mob in parade costumes!
This is a great fun way to be involved in the parade. No experience of dance is needed (it’s really designed to suit everyone’s abilities).
You need to attend 3 sessions out of 6 to really be prepared for the parade- get in touch if you really want to join in but are struggling to make 3 sessions. 
No need to book, just turn up!

5.30-7pm FAMILY SESSION
Be one of our Guardian and Protectors looking after the planet. This group will be representing Lancashire’s Famous Knitting Nanas !
7.30-9pm ADULT AND TEENS SESSION

Be a baddie – every parade needs some! This group will be chainsaw wielding maniacs trying to chop down the trees. Add a little mayhem and be prepared to be booed at!
All for fun of course…

Workshops are free to attend, donations welcome. Children must be accompanied at all time. Ability to attend the parade on the afternoon 1st September is essential.

Costume making session for dancer on Tuesday 27th before/ after the dance session.

Stilt Walking and Circus Skills

Tuesday 27th, Wednesday 28th, Friday 30th, Saturday 31st

Join Dimitri, who will teach you some great circus skills- still places available as long as you are up for the practice! 
Stilt walking is now full, but if you are interested, please do get in touch as there will be other opportunities in the future.

3.15-5.15pm Circus Skills
Learn poi, clubs and hula hooping skills and join our circus troupe for performance in the parade! Not just for kids! It is
Costume making session Thursday 29th August time 5.15-7.30pm
5.30-7.30pm Stilt Walking 

Stilt walking has been going well and is now full up!   Tall tree costume making for stilt walkers on Thursday 29th 5.30-7.30pm

Workshops on Blackburn Market
Saturday 24th- Saturday 31st August  

Jessica Rost, the artist who created Spinning Jenny ( sadly lost in the fire) for our winter parade in 2018, is back! She will be based on Blackburn Market and will be creating a Giant Ark out of recycled materials. 

Come along every market day from 10am-4pm to help lend a hand.
There are a number of ways to help out including workshop activities at various times- see signs in the market for details.

*Bring an empty, clean, clear plastic drink bottle along and write a message in a bottle to send an SOS for something from the natural world that you would save, and add it to the Ark.
* Print an animal onto a square of calico to add to the flag bunting and sails for the Ark
*Give Jessica a hand with sewing on the Ark’s coverings and creating the boat.

Children must be accompanied at all times.

Check out www.wearetheark.org to find out how you can help protect the natural world

On Friday 30th and Saturday 31st we have Parade Craft sessions also on the market, where you can create and easy item to bring to the parade, and carry alongside the Ark.
Bring along clean empty plastic bottles and create an ocean creature from plastic waste to help highlight the plastic polluting our oceans.

Volunteers needed for the Parade!

Ever fancied driving an Ark? Want to become a Polar Bear or Rhino handler for the day? Take a baby bee for a walk with a push-chair hive?

We  are also looking for people to help carry or drive or puppeteer some big structures in the parade. Please get in touch if you feel you can handle a Rhino, a Polar bear, an Ark , giant bees, a sea monster or a Green Man. This is a job best suited to adults and older teens.

We really need to get names against each of our big puppets, so please get in touch and let us know if you are up for it.

Sew many opportunities to get involved!

We are calling out for anyone who would like to get involved in sewing this week!

Flag making Artist Helen Davies joins us at The Bureau this week

Helen Davies has been commissioned to help us create a series of flags to decorate Cathedral Square for the end celebration of the event.
She will be using a reverse applique technique and will be based at The Bureau all this week Tues- Sat creating 9 fantastic flags. She would welcome anyone who is confident in the basics of using a sewing machine to come along and help out. This is a great opportunity to work with an artist to create some lovely pieces of work that will get used again and again!
If you are interested please call 07845 964802, or email kerris@blackburnfestivaloflight.co.uk to find out more- or just pop in between 10am and 5pm any day this week.
Katie Duxbury is Creating Costumes Tues-Thurs, come and help out!

This is another sewing opportunity- Katie is making costumes for the stilt walkers, the circus skills groups the dancers and the bands.
All hands on deck to help out! Some of the groups themselves have been invited to join in creating their own costumes, but help is needed to make sure all goes smoothly.
If you fancy helping Katie, get in touch as she is in at various times throughout the week. We have sewing machines available though so once you know what you are doing, you can sit and sew anytime we are open.

Route Map and Timings for the Event- make sure you don’t miss the Parade!

Workshop times
How to find us!
We have had a bit of confusion from people as to where we are, so here is a photo of our new home, along with The Bureau Centre for the Arts.
We are now based on Penny St, opposite the job centre. The building still has the signage from the Thwaites Training and Visitors Centre, but will soon be being changed.Parking is pay and display on Penny St, or Brown St car parks.
We are less than 200 yards from the bus station.You may need to phone from the entrance to get access.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *