After nearly a month of celebrating hope, magic, and wonder, this year’s Brighton Festival has come to a close, leaving the city buzzing with memories. The festival, guest-directed by award-winning screenwriter and children’s author Frank Cottrell-Boyce, brought a plethora of events to theatres, community centres, and outdoor spaces, captivating locals and visitors alike.
The festivities kicked off on Saturday, May 4, with the annual Children’s Parade, a vibrant spectacle that saw around 5,000 schoolchildren parading through the city centre. The streets were alive with a fabulous display of colour and sound, setting the tone for the joyous month ahead.
Community engagement was at the heart of this year’s festival. One standout event was the 100 Miles Of String in the Pavilion Gardens, where participants were invited to take a spool of string and contribute to an evolving outdoor installation. This creative endeavour brought people together, fostering a sense of unity and artistic expression.
As the festival drew to a close, hundreds flocked to Elder Place in Brighton for Carnesky’s Showwomxn Sideshow Spectacular. This outdoor circus extravaganza featured nine stages, a wrestling ring, and an aerialist arena. With a cast of 33 performers, including clowns, contortionists, and magicians, the show was a mesmerising highlight, performed 14 times over the final weekend.
The grand finale on Sunday evening was a musical feast at Brighton Dome’s Concert Hall. Cuban jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca, accompanied by an eight-piece band, filled the hall with enchanting melodies inspired by 1930s Paris, taken from his latest album, La Gran Diversion. It was a fitting end to a festival that celebrated the arts in all their forms.
Brighton Festival 2024 has once again proven why it’s a cornerstone of the city’s cultural calendar. Here’s to another year of hope, magic, and wonder!
Image credit: Jamie MacMillan
