Family carnival and costume parade set to dress the streets of Gosport
A new Gosport carnival, known as Brouhaha, is coming to Walpole Park on Saturday 17 September, as part of Gosport Heritage Open Days. At Walpole Park there will be a tent with entertainment, such as a talks on choreographer and fencer Bob Anderson, who was Darth Vader in the early Star Wars films, and a demonstration of fencing showing different styles, weapons and techniques.
Peter Cardy, OBE, shares his vivid recollections of Gosport in the 1950s, from dog poo to the gas works, via the boating lake and the bomb sites. Anyone over 70 will find their memories re-awakened. People of every age will discover how different Gosport was before the era of supermarkets, the motor car, the phone, universal television, indoor bathrooms and hot water.
The Brouhaha will be packed with performances, children’s workshops, local food stalls, a variety of stands and a promise to entertain the whole family between 10:00 and 16:00.
The free, family event will be an eclectic mix of science, nature, art and live music, with an emphasis on celebrating the borough’s nautical heritage and the inventions that have helped put it on the map.
A parade of 100 performers will grace the town with their extravagant displays from 12:30 to 13:15, the route will include the High Street, South Street, and Stoke Road. It will feature some familiar productions used at the recent Jubilee celebrations in London.
Gosport Borough Council has been working on this event to give people a chance to try a new creative skill with a local maker and Shademakers; international carnival artists who are known for dramatic ‘dancing sculptures’ of animals.
Cllr Peter Chegwyn, Leader of the Council, said:
“Events like this are a fantastic opportunity for the whole community to come together. I can’t wait to see people of all ages and local businesses coming together to take part, enjoy the parade and celebrate the heritage and history of Gosport”.
This free, family event is supported by funding from Historic England as part of Gosport’s High Street Heritage Action Zone cultural programme.
There will be plenty of opportunities to get involved in creative activities offered by Gosport Cultural Consortium as part of the Give it a Go Festival which will be running alongside Brouhaha in Walpole Park. See local craftspeople and artists at work, then try your hand at a new skill such as calligraphy or weaving, in the park.