Treasures of the Tide

A giant sea turtle will swim through the streets, accompanied by schools of fish made from beautiful silk batiks and bottles to gather messages from the local community. There will also be silk waves telling the stories of how people came to settle here in Redbridge. The parade will also feature giant fabric shell sculptures, samba drumming and smoke effects.

The parade is led by a Steering Group who support people facing barriers to accessing arts and culture, such as older people and people with disabilities.

Who is this for?
We welcome the whole community to this spectacular event – it’s suitable for all ages and abilities to come and watch. See the map below for more information. There is also a designated viewing area for disabled audiences at the start of the route.

What is the route for the parade?
Please see the map below for more details. Note that Cranbrook Road will be closed to traffic between The Drive and Ilford Hill during the parade to create a safe space for everyone to take part.

There are areas along the parade route which are more suitable for people who prefer a quieter experience (the “relaxed” section) as well as areas where there will be loud samba drumming (the rest of the route).

This is a big, inclusive spectacle for everyone to enjoy. You will get to meet new people and celebrate the diversity of cultures here in Redbridge as different local groups are taking part in the parade. This year, local schools have created the fish and wave elements to carry and some of the schools will also be taking part in the drumming sections.

How to book?
There is no need to book – you can just turn up on the day. However, if you use the booking link and register through Bookwhen, we will keep you up to date with any changes on the run up to the event, and it also helps to give us an idea of numbers. For more information, call 020 8708 2858 and choose option 4 or email [email protected]. We highly recommend watching either from the south side of the lake in Valentines Park or along Cranbrook Road (see map for details) as these areas will be less crowded.

How do I get there?
We recommend taking public transport where possible. Ilford station is directly next to the parade route. There is limited parking at Valentines Park and the Exchange Shopping Centre. Plan your journey at tfl.gov.uk.

Access ♿

• Relaxed Performance (no loud music) between Valentines Park Café and Cranbrook Road.
• Full Parade (with loud music ) from Cranbrook Road to The Exchange.
• The parade route is step-free.
• There are accessible toilets and changing places toilets at both the start (Valentines Park Café) and end point (Ilford Exchange) of the parade route.
• There is an accessible viewing area at the start of the parade route.
• We recommend you bring ear plugs if you are sensitive to noise.
• We are offering an audio described introduction to the parade at 11:00 in Valentines Park for blind and visually impaired people. You need to book onto this in advance by emailing [email protected].
• Ilford Shopmobility are kindly offering discounted mobility scooters for people who are unable to walk the route but wish to join the parade. Scooters can be collected from the Shopmobility office (Car Park Level 1, Exchange, High Road, Ilford, IG1 1RS) on Saturday morning from 10:00 to 10:30. Volunteers will accompany you to join the parade route. Non-members will need proof of address and photo ID and the charge will be £5. Ilford Shopmobility should be contacted by Friday 15:00 at the latest to reserve a scooter by telephone 020 8478 6864 or email [email protected].
• There is an easy read route guide which can be found here.

Please email us at [email protected] to discuss any access requirements.