The Samba band and dance troupe limber-up Photo: Ray Duff
Words and pictures by Ray Duff
On Tuesday the latest Folkestone Triennial arts festival was closed following a spectacular, if ‘dark’, parade from East Cliff through The Durlocks, to the Old High Street and Creative Quarter.
The event named The Day of the Crowned Death featured a parade of colourful dancers from the Folkestone based Michaela Cisarikova Dance troupe and the ‘Hello Mar’ Samba band drummers from Whitstable, escorting the black skull which had inhabited the inside of the Janus Fortress sculpture by Pilar Quniteros at the west end of East Cliff. The event was based on and coincided with the Mexican Day of the Dead.
The procession, with many people following, departed at about 4pm to weave its way via the sloping footpaths between The Durlocks and above the Stade & Fishmarket, down to North Street and then the Old High Street where it was met by several hundred people and the Nature Oyster Brass band; also from Whitstable. Once the band had joined in the parade and crowds made their way up the Old High Street as the Creative Quarter Christmas Lights became lit up.
The event ended with a music and dance display in Payers Park, below the Xmas lights on the trees above.
https://www.creativefolkestone.org.uk/whats-on/the-day-of-the-crowned-death/
The next FolkestoneTriennial has been penciled in for 2024.
https://www. creativefolkestone.org.uk
Folkestone Town Centre Christmas Lights switch-on
The Folkestone Town Centre Christmas Lights will be switched on Saturday 6th November as part of a music and comedy event outside the Town Hall from 3,30pm -7.30pm, including the usual Santa Parade from the Leas Cliff Hall during the late afternoon.
See the schedule here and note the temporary road closures:
https://www.folkestone-tc.gov.uk/_VirDir/CoreContents/News/Display.aspx?id=44598