One event in the Arts By The Sea Festival, taking place now in Bournemouth, until 15th October, that I really wanted to see was the Grand Grotesque Parade. In fact, I was even considering taking part but couldn’t find anyone to do so with! It was intended to be a recreation of an event that took plac in Bournemouth way back in Edwadian times, in 1910. There’s little documentary evidence remaining it seems beyond some postcards, but the original event seems to have been politically inspired … and somehow that seems very appropriate for the times we are lving in now.
Some postcards recently unearthed show some characters from the 1910 parade wearing hats labelled Labour Exchange, Licensing Bill and Old Age Pension – how little the times change!
The 2011 Parade looked fabulously as it passed in front of the carousel on the Pier Approach in Bournemouth, giving the opportunity for some dramatic photographs, and then passed into the Lower Gardens. I deliberately shot without flash, wanting to work with the available light and atmosphere; as the light levels fell, I had to push the camera harder and harder, and ended up shooting at an amzing 6400 ISO, with some brilliant results – that’s a why we spend so much money on cameras like the Nikon D3 and fast f2.8 lenses.
Under the direction of Ali Sharpe, a choir chanted and enchanted as the Parade made it’s stately progess through the Gardens, past the Bandstand where later in the evening a wonderful Paper Cinema would be produced. And the local Bournemouth League of Steampunks (just love their style!!) added another theme to the Parade.
The Festival has been very good, and I’d suggest has brought to Bournemouth the kind of things we’d usually associate with more avant garde places such as Brighton – more please! The Electric Theatre at The Pavilion on Friday and Saturday was stunning, and the events in the Gardens through that weekend were exhilarating.
The Festival continues until the 15th October, and would hope that this is just the first one!
Tags: Arts By The Sea Festival, Bournemouth, Grand Grotesque Parade, photography, steampunk
