The Spirit of the Carnival set to hit South Tyneside

The spirit of the carnival is set to hit South Tyneside this summer after an absence of more than two years.

The renamed This Is South Tyneside Festival is back between June and August of this year with its all-singing, all-dancing carnival parade set to take centre-stage on Saturday July 2.

Visitors of this year’s free event can expect neon colours, vibrant floats and some creative uses of empty crisp packets and milk cartons.

For the first time in the event’s history, carnival experts Creative Seed, who put the parade together on behalf of South Tyneside Council, are to showcase a recycled section.

Garner Harris of Creative Seed said: “We’ve been collecting all kinds of empty packets to use and the results are going to be spectacular.”

Around 20 groups are signed up to be part of the popular parade, which was cancelled during the coronavirus pandemic.

Garner added: “It’s fantastic to be back and we are going to make up for lost time with some absolutely amazing costumes and displays.

“Big, bold and colourful is what we’re working to and we hope this is going to be the most memorable parade ever.”

The parade is set to start at South Shields Town Hall and make its way along a new route via Beach Road and Anderson Street, continuing along Ocean Road and Sea Road to Bents Park.

The festival is set to include a programme full of family-friendly entertainment, with dance performances, an aerial act, live music, interactive walkabout characters, craft stalls and face painting.

Mayor of South Tyneside and Councillor Pat Hay said: “The parade is such an important part of the South Tyneside Festival and brings so many members of the community together in what is always a joyous celebration

“This year looks as if it’s going to be particularly colourful and we can’t wait to see this amazing spectacle.”