Tag Archives: parade

Aug 14 2022
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Apprentice Boys’ parade

Saturday 13th August 2022, 9.55am (day 4,006)

Apprentice Boys' parade, 13/8/22

In 1689 there was civil war across Britain and Ireland as the Catholic King James II and the Protestant William of Orange vied for the throne. Derry was besieged for months before the forces of William finally prevailed, there and in the later Battle of the Boyne. And that victory has basically defined British politics ever since, and certainly Northern Irish politics.

The annual commemoration of the siege of Derry, the Apprentice Boys’ parade, is not as politically charged as once it was — in 1969 this event effectively set off the whole Troubles — but one might as well still see it as a political demonstration, conducted by a large number of middle-aged white men affecting a military style of dress. It made for good photo opportunities, but I document without sympathising.

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Jun 08 2014
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Portrait, Stranger

Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade, 2014

Sunday 8th June 2014, 12.45pm (day 1,018)

Handmade Parade, 8/6/14

Welcome back to the Handmade Parade, pictured also in 2012 and 2013 — an amazing outpouring of creativity and effort. I just photograph it, taking 319 pictures today in one hour and five minutes. To pick one is not easy (others will go on my Flickr site — link at bottom); with the colours and costumes being almost a given I try to focus on the good faces, and then it’s a matter of hoping the focus is just right. I’m particularly happy with this shot because this was played for and got.

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Jun 22 2013
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Portrait, Stranger

Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade 2013

Saturday 22nd June 2013, 12.50pm (day 667)

Handmade Parade, 22/6/13

It was on this weekend last year that the summer in Hebden Bridge took a decided turn for the worse. The evening of 22/6/12 saw the first of two floods hit the town centre, an event which appeared on this blog only the following morning. The 2012 Handmade Parade did take place, albeit a week later than originally scheduled and produced this picture — that event becoming a kind of gesture of defiance in the face of the damage the town had suffered (though if it was a plea for mercy it was not answered; there was still 9th July to come, but more on that in two weeks’ time). The 2013 Parade could run as planned and became an anniversary celebration, the town still getting together in an amazing burst of creativity that impresses me each year, though I’ll never be part of it; I like photographing it too much.

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Nov 30 2012
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Portrait, Stranger

Valley of Lights parade, Hebden Bridge

Thursday 29th November 2012, 6.00pm (day 462)

Valley of Lights, 29/11/12

Back home. It was a beautiful, crisp winter’s day and I got some good pictures around lunchtime, one of which I was particularly keen on, but it was of waterfowl on the canal and I’ve done that theme rather a lot. This one was different – a family captured watching the ‘Valley of Lights’ parade through town tonight, a torchlit procession done to celebrate the turning on of the Christmas lights (at an acceptably late point in the year). A good evening.

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