Watford Carnival to start the centenary and jubilee concert celebrations

A community-led Parade through the High Street will bring the spirit of summer, life and joy to the town as part of Watford’s Big Centenary Celebration and the Platinum Jubilee on Saturday 4 June.

The parade will start from Queens Road (near Metro Bank) at 11am, progressing up the High Street, with dancers and performers joining the festivities as it makes its way to Cassiobury Park. People will be able to join in the fun with a flash mob at the top of the town centre by the Pond. 

Local artist, Amma Gyan of Amanartis, has been working alongside the community to bring the Parade to life. Local children have been designing a display of grasses and flowers to create a living meadow and a symbolic expression of summer, life and joy. As the meadow moves through the town, it will celebrate Watford’s vibrant and diverse community for art, music and dance.

Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor said: “Watford’s centenary is a great way for our community to celebrate together.  I am really looking forward to seeing how the effort and creativity everyone has put in over the last few months will come to life and provide a real spectacle to kick off our day of festivities.”

Amma Gyan said: “The Parade will be a joyous, vibrant expression of Watford’s community spirit represented in the form of a large scale living growing meadow. Each elements highlights the vibrancy that is at the heart if of Watford. The parade will be an opportunity for the town to come together in celebration of that makes Watford great.”

THE BIG CELEBRATION LINE UP

​Parade 11am to 12:15pm – To start the day’s celebrations there will be a Parade through the town centre. Starting near the Atria entrance at Queen’s Road, a group of colourful dancers and performers will make their way up to the event space by the pond stopping along the way for musical interludes. After a brief stop at the pond, they will continue on to Cassiobury Park coinciding with the beginning of the afternoon’s performances at the bandstand

To catch sight of the parade, or to join in, the route and timing are:

• 11am – Parade leaves Queens Road precinct (by Metro Bank)
• 11:25am – Arrive at Atria entrance (by TGI Fridays)
• 11:45am – Arrive at event space by Pond – prepare for the Candy Flash Mob
• 12:10pm – BEEE Dance Company perform a contemporary piece into Cassiobury Park
• 12:25pm – Arrive in Cassiobury Park

A special thank you to CathARTic, Cassio School, St John’s Church of England, Jam Dance, BEEE Dance Company, Tiata Fahodzi, Watford Hornets Youth Team and Cornerstone Church, for their participation.

Bandstand 12:15pm to 5:15pm – Acts include:

• 12:15 – Electric Umbrella          
• 1pm – Dance Re:Ignite
• 1.10pm – Pump House CYT – songs from Matilda, Jungle Book and Legally Blonde
• 1.30pm – Pump House Clogg Morris
• From 1.50pm – Watford Writers – poems and other pieces
• 1.55pm – Joe Farry – songs from the 60s
• 2.20pm – The Dan Tien – Songs and dances from Billy Elliott, Peter Pan and more
• 2.50pm – Rob Russo – songs from the 50s
• 3.15pm – Audentier orchestra – mix of classical and classical pop covers
• 3.40pm – Kathak  dancing
• 4pm – The Victoria Sponge Experience!
• 4.15pm – Gospel Arts Manna
• 4.45pm – Palace Young Company  – Breakthrough
• 4.50pm – Tiger Jazz: Alex Williams sings The Great American Songbook

Concert

Time: 5pm to 9.15pm ​Location: Cassiobury Park

• 5pm – Vibe DJ Set
• 6.10pm – Rak-Su
• 6.35pm – West End
• 7.15pm – Martin Kaye band (celebrating the music of Elton John)
• 7.45pm – John Bulleid
• 8.10pm – Stephanie McCourt
• 8.30pm – Barry from Watford
• 8.45pm – Naughty Boy
• 9.15pm – Close