Fancy making a giant puppet, sculpture or mask, trying your hand at drumming or learning how to stilt? If so then the Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade Skills Classes could be just the thing for you.

In preparation for the Handmade Parade on Saturday, June 26, adults and teens are being invited to join a choice of exciting new classes led by professional artists.

As well as learning new skills and having a lot of fun, people taking part will produce a project to perform in the parade and in the grand finale in Calder Holmes Park. No previous skills or experience are needed.

Parade Co-ordinator Rebecca Dearden said: “The skills classes are fantastic fun — even for people who don’t usually get involved in this sort of thing. Last year was my first time at the parade. I loved making costumes and I also learnt to walk on stilts while playing a drum — which I can honestly say wasn’t something I’d ever considered doing before!

“It’s going to be an amazing parade — and the more people who come along the better it will be. It’s an event for everyone in the area, whether they want to take part in the procession, the finale, skills classes or the workshops, or simply cheer us on!”

If you’d like to make a huge sculpture working with the artist who brought you the giant snail and heron from past Handmade Parades, Giant Withies Sculpture classes with Kerith Ogden will take place on June 9, 10, 16 and 17 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, with a final dress rehearsal on June 25 from 5pm to 7pm. The workshop is a great introduction to withies sculpture — from basic construction and simple forms, to making more complicated 3D sculpture.

If clay-sculpted papier-mâché  masks and costumes are more your thing, Alison Duddle, mask-maker and Horse & Bamboo Theatre artistic director, will be leading workshops on June 9, 10, 16, 17 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Alison will help participants make a set of animal masks for the parade and the finale in the park.

If you fancy strutting your stuff on stilts, local performer and artist Rachel Hyde will be running stilt-walking classes on June 15, 21, 22 from 4pm to 6pm.

And Theo Wickenden will be getting people involved in making a giant parade mobile using sculptural wire at his Large Wire Sculpture classes on June 12, 13, 19 and 20 from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

Handmade Parade Artistic Director Andrew Kim will be leading Giant Puppet Construction classes on June 9, 11, 16, 18 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

There’s also a chance to make whimsical hot air balloons and learn the secrets of making inflatable parade art with artist Jamima Latimer on June 8 and 9 at 12noon to 4pm.

And if you fancy banging out the rhythms, join the year-round Handmade Samba Brigade as they prepare for the big event. Samba Drumming classes with Mitch Oldham will be on Mondays, June 7, 14, 21 from 6pm to 8pm. All levels are welcome, though there’s  a minimum age of 14.

All classes are £25 for four two-hour sessions except Samba Drumming which is £3 a sesssion and the inflatable workshops, which are £5 a day. Classes will be held at the parade workshop at Unit 5, Victoria Works, Victoria Road, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8LN — the same workshop space as last year.

To sign up for any of the classes, people should email their name, phone number and which workshop they’d like to take to Hebden Bridge Parade or call 01706 812645.

Although these skills classes are for teens and adults only, the parade art workshops, from June 5 to 24, are open to absolutely anyone who wants to get involved in creating parade art, giant puppets or costumes — kids included.

The community-generated parade, which takes place on the first day of the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, is led by local artists and celebrates the creativity, variety and uniqueness of the area. The theme of this year’s parade and open workshops is Hop, Skip and a Jump — a celebration of journeys real and imaginary.

Parade organisers are still looking for open workshop volunteers. If you can help, please email email Kathy. For more details go to www.hebdenbridgeparade.org

Handmade Parade 2008
Photo: HebWeb