People across the borough are being invited to contribute their skills and creativity to make the Basingstoke Festival parade more vibrant than ever.

For five days from Monday 15 June, the Creative Emporium in Festival Place will become a production hub, where the magnificent Beast of Basingstoke, awesome props, fantastical costumes and giant puppets will be transformed from imagination into reality.

The team at Scratch Built Theatre Community Interest Company will welcome anyone, from seasoned makers or those that are just curious, to help them bring magic to Basingstoke Festival’s opening parade. There will be five workshops:

• Monday 15 June from 5pm to 7.30pm
• Tuesday 16 June from 3.30pm to 6pm
• Wednesday 17 June from 3.30pm to 6pm
• Thursday 18 June from 5pm to 9pm
• Friday 19 June from 2pm to 5pm.

Following the final workshop on Friday, the opening parade will start on Cross Street at the Basingstoke’s Top of the Town at 5.30pm. The parade will wind through the town, ending at Festival Place amphitheatre for music and performances from this year’s Basingstoke Festival acts.

Cabinet Member for Sports, Leisure and Culture Cllr Kerry Morrow said: “These workshops are a great chance for the community to get together and be involved in making the festival’s spectacular opening parade better than ever.

“You don’t need any special skills or experience, just drop in to a workshop to help bring the Beast of Basingstoke, the costumes and props to life.”

Creative Director at Scratch Built Productions Becky Kitter said: “The parade is built by the people of Basingstoke and that’s what makes it so special. Whether you’re a confident maker or just curious to try something new, we’d love you to join us. Every pair of hands helps bring the puppets and costumes to life and together we can create something truly magical for the whole town. The opening parade is so special, all our communities get involved and work together to create something magical.”

More information about the workshops, including how to get involved and to sign up for updates, is on the website www.scratchbuiltproductions.com.

The parade opens Basingstoke Festival, which is produced and funded by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, providing free performances that will pop-up in Basingstoke town centre and other locations across the borough over three weekends.

More information about Basingstoke Festival and how residents and visitors can take part is on the website at www.BasingstokeFestival.co.uk or on social media channels @BasingstokeFestival on Facebook and @BstokeFestival on Instagram.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is supported, using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, for Basingstoke Festival 2026. Basingstoke Festival is part of Without Walls, a network of organisations bringing innovative outdoor arts to towns and cities across England. There is more information at www.WithoutWalls.uk.com.