Hillsborough Arts Council - Handmade Parade

Hillsborough's

First Annual
Handmade Parade!

"The Waters of The Eno
and her Creatures"

Photo: Paperhand Puppet Intervention

The Hillsborough Handmade Parade and festivities will take place the second Saturday in October. Workshops begin May 31st.

Organized by the Hillsborough Arts Council, the event will commence in the afternoon and continue till dusk ending at the new pavilion next to the Eno River. The theme of the first year's parade will be “The Waters of the Eno and Her Creatures”.

Beginning in May, there will be a limited number of workshops. Artists will assist participants in creating their own masks, costumes and giant puppets.

Workshops will be designed to include all ages and hopefully a broad and culturally diverse cross section of all the entire community.
Workshops will include music, movement, drumming, and stilt walking!

Why a parade?

The Hillsborough Handmade parade will awaken curiosity and raise awareness of how we’re connected to our river and our fellow creatures. The theme is meant to foster awareness of our natural resources and to celebrate them. With its headwaters in Orange County, the Eno River is an important part of our community.

Most importantly, it will bring our community together in a creative, non political way. A goal for the Handmade Parade is to strengthen our community by valuing and celebrating our wonderful diversity.

In working together to develop this celebration, we can overcome barriers to community participation and harmony. Together, we’ll create a community participation celebration that will bring us together while having fun!

A walking theatrical performance. A spectacle of art, creativity, and public theatre.
Celebration Art combines the challenges of three-dimensional design with the richness of working in community, and the excitement of watching pieces come alive with movement.
Giant puppets, banners, and costumes will evoke humor, drama, and beauty with their larger-than-life expressions.
Offer the many facets of the community an opportunity to make art together and create a public theatrical performance

What will the parade be?

Who can participate?

Anyone can participate! Don’t just be a spectator… join in! Everyone is welcome to come to affordable public workshops where the materials and instruction will be provided for them to make their own costumes, masks, or giant puppets for the parade or you could volunteer on a larger build led by a professional artist.

This parade is for not just for kids— we encourage adults to bring their friends, neighbors and social groups to create their own parade ensemble. Think about encouraging your running group, school class, sports team, business group, association, or church group etc. to work together with a theme and participate in the parade as a group!

As the leader of a group you could participate in the leadership puppet and mask making workshop. Then, use your new skills to help create your groups unique parade entry. Members of your group can then take the public workshops to help refine the group’s ideas. You’ll be surprised at the creativity within yourself and your group!

"We are still having to explain... that sparks of genius lie everywhere, and are often dormant until odd ideas and people move together.
They come alive in combination with each other."

Liz Lerman in 'Dancing in Community: Its Roots in Art'

Check out the Workshop Schedule Where you can get detailed info including schedules and registration forms.

For additional information

Send us an email.

Volunteers:

Our staff artists have a wealth of experience as teachers and leaders in creating celebration art. Project leaders, Mark Donley and Tinka Jordy are longtime residents of Orange County. She is figurative sculptor originally from New Orleans, where street performance is part of the culture. She has participated in numerous art parades. Another volunteer, Michael Brown, has created many of the large murals seen throughout Chapel Hill and nationally. Michael recently completed the 30 foot high Bull at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Another project artist is Jennifer Miller an accomplished artist and one of the founders of Hillsborough's "Last Fridays" event.

The purpose of this outreach event is to foster community involvement in the arts through participation in every aspect. The informal atmosphere and hands-on character of the experience allows members of the community to work directly with creative people while gaining confidence in their own abilities.

There is a natural exchange across cultures in this artistic process. Parading their artistic creations in and around the town center before an appreciative audience links the townspeople of Hillsborough to the act of creativity in the most rewarding and public way possible.

Help to support the Arts in Hillsborough and make a difference in your community. Make a donation today!