Festival Parade of Light to float along Brisbane Street

Ipswich loves a parade and the Festival Parade of Light will not disappoint.

A vibrant array of giant lanterns, floats, bands and roving entertainers will make their way along Brisbane Street from Waghorn to Bell streets on Saturday, 13 April at 6pm. 

Ipswich Libraries always outdo themselves by combining with the community to create a showstopper. 

This year is no exception. 

The theme this year is “Our Backyard”.

A series of workshops for children and adults to make the costume wings, masks and egg lanterns to wear have been running across Ipswich libraries and will continue to run until Thursday.

Ipswich Libraries’ public program team leader Rosalie Stafford said she was very impressed by the library members’ contributions through the workshops.

“This year we’ve embraced the Ipswich Festival Parade of Light ‘Our Backyard’ theme by focusing on backyard birds,” Ms Stafford said.

“Chickens, roosters, magpies and lorikeets are all frequent visitors to our backyard and there are loads of children and adult books that feature our feathery friends.

“We are also including technology in our entry this year to demonstrate our role as an incubator of innovation and ideas. So keep an eye out for a familiar funky chicken.”

Library staff were eggs-cited to create something eggs-traordinary. 

Read also: Giant letters grab school students’ imaginations

There will be free drop-in nest building workshops held each day this week until Thursday. A giant nest is currently being built at Ipswich Central Library by local artist Kate den Otter.

Community members are welcome to swoop in to the library to help build the nests and while they’re in can always peck up a good book.

All participants are encouraged to walk with Library staff in the parade to strut their stuff and show off their wings and feathers.

To register your interest click here.