The popular Pig Walk parade will return to Longton in 2026 with a celebration of classic children’s literature, as organisers Urban Wilderness CIC mark the National Year of Reading.
Now in its fourth year, the Longton Carnival and Pig Walk will once again honour local heroes, while introducing story-inspired elements created in partnership with organisations supporting children and young people.
The free family-friendly event – which last year attracted around 30,000 people to Longton – will take place in the town centre on Sunday, April 26, from 10am to 4pm.
Among the highlights of the parade, which will set off at 3pm, pupils from Clarice Cliff Co-op Academy will bring Peter Pan to life, with permission from Great Ormond Street Hospital and a donation being made to the charity. Urban Wilderness CIC’s Teen Squad, made up of young people aged 14 to 18, will present The Odyssey, featuring a handmade Trojan horse and Scylla the six-headed dragon.
The 8th North Staffordshire Boys Brigade will showcase Treasure Island with a galleon ship, while Urban Wilderness CIC creative volunteers and performers will reimagine Alice in Wonderland.
All sections will feature costumes created by Shademakers UK, an international carnival company based on the Isle of Wight, and worn by local volunteer performers.
Stoke-on-Trent Literacy Trust will also be part of the event, hosting free family workshops in Longton’s Victorian Market alongside the Family Hub, which will be launching a new permanent soft play space.
Urban Wilderness CIC co-director Jenny Harper said: “We’re so excited to share the hard work of our Teen Squad and Creative Volunteers in bringing beloved childhood books to life as part of the National Year of Reading Pig Walk.
“Life is richer for the stories that we share, and the talent and energy the teenagers have put into building puppets for their Odyssey section has been a joy.”
This year’s event also reflects growing community involvement, with an increasing number of Longton-based partners supporting the celebration, including U7 Arts, Longton Snooker & Pool Club, BSN Construction Group, Launch-It, the Family Hub and The Sound of Coffee. They join existing supporters such as Longton Exchange, Longton Cultural and Artisan Market, Longton Victorian Market, Duchess China 1888 Ltd, Longton Central Methodist Hall and Staffordshire Film Archive.
As part of a wider outreach programme, 12 groups and more than 25 individual makers have created nearly 500 daisies, which will form a giant daisy chain installation across Longton.
The wider programme for the day will feature Warwick’s Fun Fair, Circus in a Box, Trentham Brass Band, City of Stoke-on-Trent Male Voice Choir, Art Brasil Carnival Drummers and Six Towns Radio, with the parade led by local nu-marching band KiLNE.
Pottery painting workshops will take place at Kiln at Number 12 in Longton Exchange, while U7 Arts will host an after-party at their base in Sutherland Road. There will also be heritage film screenings by Staffordshire Film Archive in Longton Central Hall, and charity and community stalls featuring more than a dozen local organisations.
Co-director Isla Telford added: “The scale of this day is only possible through the strength of the community partnerships built through the shared purpose of bringing life back to Longton.
“Urban Wilderness CIC firmly believe that people need places and reason to connect in order to become a community, and that when that purpose is creativity communities grow in cohesion and optimism.
“Longton’s recent bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture shows how much Longton’s creative confidence has grown over the last four years, and we are looking forward to celebrating our town together through Carnival.”
The event is supported by sponsors including BSN Group, which is funding the daisy-making outreach packs and the Teen Squad, Longton Exchange, which is funding the bandstand stage, and Duchess China 1888 Ltd, which will provide free bookable factory tours.
Funding has also been provided by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund via the UK Government and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Stoke Creates and the National Lottery Community Fund.
To see the full programme and for further information, visit www.pig-walk.com
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