After its huge success last year, Chatham’s community town centre carnival is back this summer with activities across Chatham’s busy high street on Saturday, 8 July.
This year’s event will be bigger and better with the addition of the University of Kent’s fantastic Medway bOing festival, bringing all the fun of this fantastic family activity to Chatham, both on the high street and inside the Pentagon Shopping Centre.
The carnival will also feature the Chatham Intra food market, organised by the Intra HAZ group, giving visitors a chance to try the incredible global cuisine found across Intra’s fabulous independent restaurants.
Another new feature will be illustrated by artworks from Refresh Medway, which unleashes the words of eight to 18-year-olds with vibrant artworks on the streets and in windows.
Throughout the day there will be exhibitions, demonstrations, live music and stalls featuring local community organisations and projects. Inside the Pentagon Shopping Centre you will be able to make cone hats to celebrate Chatham Icon Thomas Waghorn.
Medway Pride Radio will compere the event and entertain visitors with live music and acts through the day, including a set by international star River Medway.
The centrepiece will be a community parade at 10.30am, running from the Church Street junction of the high street to the Paddock outside the Pentagon entrance.
The parade will consist of a variety of community groups, acts and sports clubs from across Medway’s diverse community, with rumours that the legendary Chatham Sea Monster might pay a visit.
It will also feature the Positivity Parade! A collaboration between Ideas Test and fashion designer Kalikas Armour. This protest with a difference showcases placards created in community and school workshops which will celebrate what people love about Medway, culminating in a march featuring Medway Change Makers volunteers.
Following the theme created last year when the carnival returned after a long absence, this event is rooted in, and organised by Chatham’s community. Local organisations have been working on the carnival with a number of workshops now underway across the area, including activities funded by our Child-Friendly Medway team.
Great day out for everyone
Cllr Harinder Mahil, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and Leisure, said: “This event will be a great day out for everyone to celebrate Medway and I would encourage all residents to come along and join in the fun. I am really pleased that our Child-Friendly Medway team has funded activities in the build-up to the big day to provide Medway’s children and young people with an opportunity to get involved in this spectacular event.”
Show off the wonderful culture, community and environment
David Stokes, the CEO of Nucleus Arts and head of the organising community group under the umbrella of the Chatham Town Centre Forum and Love Chatham, said: "We are so excited to be bringing the event back to Chatham after all the wonderful feedback we received last year. This year we wanted to go bigger and better, and really show off the wonderful culture, community and environment we have. We cannot wait to invite everyone along for the biggest party in Medway!"