The People’s Parade
This year marks a whole century since the six towns came together to form Stoke-on-Trent . We’re feeling proud to be part of this story of creativity, resilience and reinvention.
As part of our CASCADE project we have worked with students from Haywood Academy, Smallthorne Primary Academy and Mill Hill Primary Academy.
With the help of our Creative Producer, Emily Andrews, we set up a steering group of year 7 students in Haywood. The group would meet on a weekly basis to explore ideas around a creative intervention around Burslem. It became apparent that the best way to do this was to be part of the People’s Parade. This provided a brilliant focus for the project and the students ideas were unleashed. The steering group recruited a group of artists to help them design and create a large make for the parade, costumes and dance routines that could be used in the parade. Costume making workshops were delivered across the whole of Year 7 in Haywood and Years 5 and 6 in Smallthorne and Mill Hill.
After choosing their theme for the People’s Parade, the fabulous Year 7 Cascade group at Haywood Academy dove headfirst into the world of carnivals and parades!
They explored colourful parades from around the globe, watched videos, shared their own knowledge, and even got to try on some amazing costumes to spark their imaginations!
This immersive experience got the group buzzing with ideas and creativity — now they’re all set and excited to plan what they’ll create for the big day.
A huge thank you to B-Arts and I See Magical Creatures for the fabulous costume loan — it really brought the carnival magic to life!
Trying out costumes in school.
Through a series of creative activities, they figured out what Stoke-On-Trent needs - it needed a big new creature, one that eats trash, works with scientists and looks after the environment, of course!
The ideas that were generated by the group were shared with the artists and received with such excitement.
After deciding on a big creature, the group had to write a brief to find an artist(s) that could make it into a large puppet on wheels that would be the focal point of our section in the parade....
In the Easter holidays a dedicated group of students came into school to look through the CVS and cover letters of artists that had responded to their Big Make commission.
It was a long and laborious process but after discussions and some serious scoring, the group had chosen who they wanted to bring their big creature to life.
The chosen artists were Jess Rost and Kate Powell of Rost Productions and Powell Puppets who have many years' experience making big puppets for parades!
It was a brilliant experience for both the group and the facilitators, it showed how important it is to have young people’s voices in this sort of process, especially when it’s their ideas that are being realised.
An example of their previous works: Cuckoo Takeover: photo credit Rost Productions
A few weeks into the Cascade project, our brilliant Year 7 group at Haywood Academy had an exciting mission — to choose the artists they wanted to collaborate with for the People’s Parade!
They were tasked with selecting three costume makers:
One to lead creative workshops with the whole of Year 7
One to work with Mill Hill Primary Academy and Smallthorne Primary Academy
One to design special costumes just for the Cascade group themselves!
After meeting local artists and exploring their work, the students made their final votes... and the Successful Artists were: Louise Worrall, Holly Johnson and Eve Dearbhail Travis!
The steering group took a visit to the commissioned artists at their studios on Tuesday 3 June. They went to Ashbank Farm to visit Kate Powell & Jess Rost. They had a tour of the studios and met 5 different artists who live on site and work as part of the Ashbank Arts Collective. They also saw work in progress for a new outdoor show that will be touring to Cheltnam and Milton Keynes. They asked the artists questions, one of which being “How do you weld?”. They also spent time working in the studio on the big make where they added vines and posters. They also got to see the tech for the big make and trigger the sound effects. They played with chickens, dogs and bunnys and sat in the orchard by a pond whilst they had their lunch.
The Foxolotyl in progress. Photography: Jenny Harper
In the afternoon they headed to artist studio The Block in The Barracks to visit Eve Dearbhail Travis and Holly Johnson. They spent time looking at and trying on their costumes that they would wear in the parade. Some of the group started to design a logo that could be sprayed onto the back of costumes to unify all the different elements. This featured a pigeon, a potbank and the words Cascade.
Eve Dearbhail Travis holding a pigeon with yellow boots.
Photography: Jenny Harper
The Stoke Centenary People’s Parade - 7th June 2025
What a truly unforgettable day in the heart of our city! Despite the rain, the streets of Stoke were alive with music, movement, colour, and creativity as we marched through in celebration of 100 years of our incredible city.
Our young people and artists absolutely shone — every costume, banner, puppet and performance was crafted with love, talent and pride.
They ARE the future of Stoke — and what a bright, bold future that is!
We couldn’t be prouder to have taken part in this once in a century moment.
Here’s to the power of community, creativity and culture
You can see the finished Foxlotyl and the students on parade at the 6:20 mark.
And read an interview with Creative Producer Emily:
Extra shout outs:
We also need to acknowledge and say thank you to two artists providing facilitation support: Siobhan Mcaleer & Fran Buxton.
A big thank you to the art and design department at Haywood Academy - Miss Morgan and Mr Cartwright for all your hardwork and support during the project and the day of the parade.
A big thank you to Chelsey Smith of the Character And Arts Foundation and City Learning Trust for her help and support making this all happen.
Funded by
Cascade is generously funded by Stoke Creates and Arts Council England with additional funding and support from City Learning Trust's Character and Arts Foundation.
