We’re kicking off the 2024 festival with our wonderful parade which sees thousands of people striding along the upper and lower esplanade from the East Point Pavilion to the main stage on the beach.
This year we’re celebrating our place as the most easterly coastal point with weathervanes, shells, and lots and lots of noise!
You can follow the Hackney Colliery Band, The Marina Samba Band, schools and community groups, and Lowestoft’s own SOL (and some of her friends) as they parade us down to the opening event.
Co-created with our local community the parade is the high point of our work with community groups, in-house school workshops, public sharing sessions, and workshops.
There are still plenty of ways to get involved. Watch out for the community workshops at East Point Pavilion.
Come on Lowestoft, let’s make some noise!
How and When to Watch the Parade
The Parade starts from East Point Pavilion on Saturday 22 June at 11.15, travels down the seafront promenade and onto the beach where it will open the festival’s main Sunlight Stage at 12:00.
You’ll be able to watch the parade anywhere along the route, but we recommend finding a spot somewhere between East Point Pavilion and Claremont Pier.
Community Making Session
You can join us for some making sessions at East Point Pavilion on
Tuesday 28 May, 10am – 12pm at East Point Pavilion
No need to bring anything – just lots of imagination to make a weather vane headdress
Accessibility
The parade route from East Point Pavilion to Claremont Pier is entirely step-free and wheelchair accessible. From Claremont Pier, the parade goes down a short but fairly steep slope onto the lower seafront promenade (Jubilee Parade), where it continues along flat paving until the main Sunlight Stage. The final section of the parade route goes across the sand of South Beach. While this section is not wheelchair or buggy accessible, the parade will be visible from Jubilee Parade, and there is an accessible viewing platform next to the main Sunlight Stage where the ending of the parade can be viewed from.
There’s more information about access at the festival here
If you have accessibility questions, please email info@firstlightlowestoft.com