Tuesday, 14 January 2014
2014 Handmade Parade Date Announced:
This year's Handmade Parade will take place on June 8 with organisers hoping to build on the success of last year's record-breaking event.
The parade is being held on a Sunday for the first time and earlier in the month than usual to fit in with the preparations for the Tour de France's Grand Depart taking place on July 6.
Last year's event, which saw almost a thousand people take part in the spectacular parade and thousands more line the route to see the stunning giant puppets and community art, confirmed the parade as one of the major events in the Yorkshire tourism caldendar and attracted international artists to take part.
Handmade Parade Co-ordinator Hannah Merriman said, "After the floods of the year before it felt particularly important to put on a great show last summer and we were amazed by the creativity and the commitment of everyone who took part to make it a really special day".
Open workshops for this year's event will start on Saturday May 17 at the parade workshops in Victoria Road and run on weekends and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons as usual.
Organisers are also delighted to kick-off the New Year with the news that Hebden Royd Town Council have agreed a £4,000 grant to help fund the event, now in its seventh year.
Ms Merriman said: "We're really grateful that Hebden Royd Town Council have shown their support for this event once again and look forward to seeing what our wonderful community comes up with this year.
"We are also very grateful for research conducted by Calderdale Council which has demonstrated that the parade brings hundreds of people into the valley, the vast majority of whom stay in the area afterwards to enjoy local crafts and produce. The conservative estimated increased spending on parade day is in the region of £25,000 which is fantastic news for our local businesses, suppliers and hospitality trade."
A Handmade Parade Spark Day will be held in the spring to help decide the theme for this year's event. Previous themes have included Myths, Mysteries and Mayhem and The Enchanted Wood.
More Photos of the 2013 Parade
HebWeb photos of previous Parades
HebWeb Photos of Handmade Parade 2010
HebWeb Photos of Handmade Parade 2009
HebWeb Photos of Handmade Parade 2008
See also
HebWeb News: Handmade Parade: Wonderfully colourful and creative, dazzling and inventive - and with flying pigs! (June 2013)
Guardian - Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade - in pictures