A popular event may not happen this year
A much-loved summer event that brings people flocking to a Calderdale town might not happen this year.
Organisers of Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade say they currently cannot afford to hold the hugely popular event in 2024.
Handmade Productions CIC have posted on social media that they are “gutted” but wanted to let people know “how things stand”.
"Handmade Productions love working with our community in Hebden Bridge and the wider Calderdale area to put on the Handmade Parade,” they said.
"The spectacle that is the parade forms an essential part of the origins of our organisation and we’re proud of every parade we’ve put on over the years.
"As such, we would love to put on a parade every year, however it costs in the region of £60,000 to £80,000 to do this.
"These costs include paying the many talented artists and freelancers who help us deliver the parade as well as the materials, administration and planning that goes into putting on the event.
"It’s not just a one-day event – we work for months in the build-up, including weeks of community engagement workshops to include as many people as possible.
"We always do our best every year to secure the funding we need to be able to put on the event and the team work hard applying and putting in bids, however with the funding pressure facing arts organisations across the country, there is much competition.
"To ensure Handmade Productions remains a viable ongoing organisation, it is not possible for us to put on the parade without securing external funding.
"We will of course let our supporters know if we are successful but in the meantime we wanted to let everyone know the situation we are facing.”
Handmade Parade began in 2008 as a single event in Hebden Bridge but has since blossomed to spread its creativity and puppet-making workshops at events across the country, including last December’s incredibly popular Christmas Parade in Halifax.
For more information about the organisers, visit
www.handmadeproductions.org.uk/