Chester’s Midsummer Watch Parade

The Chester Midsummer Watch Parade returns on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June, starting from Chester Town Hall Square at 2pm on both days.

The medieval parade is one of the country’s oldest and most colourful street parades dating from 1498.

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Margaret Parker will join the Saturday parade, said the Lord Mayor:

“The Midsummer Watch Parade welcomes new performers every year, plus many people returning every year. The main characters in the parade are based on archive records of the parade that can be traced to 1498.

“I’d like to thank artist Russell Kirk who has built the characters and performs alongside the massive cast that includes over 150 school children.” 

The costumes and characters have been re-built and re-interpreted from year to year. The Chester family of giants, towering four metre figures are currently being re-built, the father made his first appearance last year and a new mother giant makes her debut this year.

On Saturday, the Lord Mayor of Chester will be joined by Dorothy Trussell,  President of the Freemen & Guilds of the City of Chester onboard the Lord Mayor’s Chariot. On Sunday Dorothy Trussell will be joined on the chariot by the Sheriff of Chester, Councillor Alan Smith.

The parade is led by the City Guilds plus Chester’s Karamba Samba Band, with dragons, angels, the Chester ravens, unicorn, stag, hobby horses, green men, Balaam's Ass, Cernunnus the Celtic lord of the forest, an antelope, the Hippogriff from Greek Mythology and a devil Band.

St Werburgh, the patron saint of Chester will join the parade from Chester Cathedral’s West Door along with children from the Saturday singing group and Children's Church who will be her flock of geese. St Werburgh is famous for the medieval legend of bringing back to life a cooked goose.

The Chester Pirates return aboard their pirate ship pursued by the Royal Navy and  a giant octopus.

School children from across the borough have been creating characters for the parade in workshops. These include Dee point as fiery monsters, Belgrave will be suns, Grosvenor Park are green men, Hoole will be ravens, Tarvin are fish and Newton join the parade as dragons.

The parade leaves Chester Town Hall Square at 2pm on both days taking in; St Werburgh Street, Eastgate Street, The Cross, Watergate Street and Bridge Street, returning to the Town Hall square for a finale.

The Midsummer Watch website includes photographs and video from previous years plus a history of the parade:

http://www.midsummerwatch.co.uk

Pictured - The Father Giant.