School pupils from South Tyneside are being transformed into Mad Hatters ahead of a spectacular summer parade.
The group of year five students at Sea View Primary School, South Shields, are working with artist Claudia Van Lieshout Smit to develop a range of hats inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
Their colourful creations will be worn during the South Tyneside Festival Summer Parade, which takes to the streets of South Shields on Saturday July 4, to mark 150 years since the publication of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale.
Along with Sea View Primary School’s class of nine and 10 year olds the landmark event, sponsored by Careline Lifestyles, will also feature hundreds of youngsters from across the borough.
This includes representatives from the Mini Maestros music group and the David Ducasse Performers Stage School, who will be the giant caterpillar.
Dionne Brown from Sea View Primary School, said: “We’ve taken part in the South Tyneside Festival Parade before but this year looks set to be one of the biggest yet.
“The organisers are going all out on the Alice in Wonderland theme and our students are very excited to be a part of it.”
The Summer Parade, which is being led by Artistic Director, Paul Shriek, forms part of a wider programme of events making up the South Tyneside Festival 2015.
Other highlights in the three month programme, organised annually by South Tyneside Council, include a Summer Fayre in Bents Park on June 27, Kids Fun Fest children parties on Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 18 to August 20 and Harton Quays Park Craft Markets on the first Sunday of the month until September.
There will also be four consecutive Sunday concerts headlined by Atomic Kitten and 5ive (July 12), Billy Ocean (July 19), Sophie Ellis Bextor and The Feeling (July 26) and North East stars Joe McElderry, Collabro and Lola Saunders (Aug 2).
All of these events are free to attend.
Councillor Alan Kerr, Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Council, with responsibility for Culture and Leisure, said: “More than 2000 people are expected to take part in this year’s Summer Parade, including young people from Sea View Primary and several other schools and youth groups from across the borough.
“These numbers, coupled with a host of colourful costumes, floats and live music, look set to make it one of the most spectacular events we have ever held and I am looking forward to seeing it.”
For more information and full listings for the South Tyneside Festival 2015 go to www.visitsouthtyneside.co.uk search for South Tyneside Events on Facebook, follow STynesideEvents on Twitter or call the South Tyneside Visitor Information Centre on 0191 424 7788.