News
Cowley Road Carnival
The funds kindly donated by Dragon Sale contributed towards coordinating preparations for the Procession, which involved children from 13 local schools and community groups, and helped them to create their costumes and Carnival performances.
The schools' performances, children's costumes and creations were put together over a series of workshops in the months leading up to Carnival. Each school was assigned a professional artist and choreographer, and MINI Plant Oxford provided a team of associates to help create large structures and bring ideas to reality. The whole operation was coordinated by Oxford Extra Arts in partnership with Cowley Road Works, the charity which organises Carnival.
The results were spectacular. The Carnival theme, 'Time of our Lives' was picked up in many imaginative ways. Each school chose a different decade to represent. Cheney School, helped by artist Michelle Johnson and associates from MINI Plant Oxford, produced giant characters from the 1980's movie 'Dirty Dancing,' while children from St Francis Primary School danced their way in 'Roaring 1920's' costumes with feathers and sequins aplenty, and there large model cars, masks, flags, banners, dhol drummers and much more.
From noon on the day, the Procession snaked its way down South Park, around the Carnival area where there were outdoor stages, a community village, food stalls and traders, and ended on the main MINI Plant Oxford Stage, where each group took their bows.
"I think it's absolutely brilliant for the community to come together like this, there are so many different groups," said mother Wendy Morrison, who's daughters, aged 9 and 8 were in the Procession. "The girls are in it every year and I'm just so glad it keeps going."
The materials, manpower and sheer hard work needed to coordinate the schools' efforts could not have happened without financial resources. The Trustees of Cowley Road Works are hugely grateful to The Dragon School Committee for its support.
Links:
www.cowleyroadcarnival.co.uk
www.twitter.com/cowleycarnival
Facebook Cowley Road Carnival 2011
CONTACTS
Cowley Road Works: Danielle Battigelli on 01865 251305, email info@cowleyroadworks.org.
