Here's how YOU can get involved when a popular Stoke-on-Trent carnival and parade returns

A carnival celebrating a quirky true story from Stoke-on-Trent’s past, which brought 20,000 people into Longton last year, is back for a third time – and you can get involved.

Longton Carnival and Pig Walk, organised by Longton-based arts organisation Urban Wilderness CIC, will take place around the town on Sunday, April 6, from 11am to 4pm, as part of the city’s centenary celebrations.

Featuring performance stages, live music, a funfair, street food and an artisan market, the event will also include the spectacular Pig Walk parade – complete with a giant pig puppet called Jolly – at 3pm. The parade will again be led by Stoke-on-Trent-based contemporary nu-marching band KiLNE

The parade celebrates a true story from the 1880s when the Mayor of Longton, John Aynsley, successfully drove a pig from Trentham to Longton to win a bet with the Duke of Sutherland. As a result, Aynsley won the land to create Queen’s Park and the money to build Longton Cottage Hospital.

While The Strand will be closed for most of the day, the road will be opened for a short time – roughly from 11:20am to 11:30am – to allow the Star Bikers to ride through the town on their Easter egg run.

Urban Wilderness CIC are appealing for volunteers to help make at least 100 foam flowers to decorate the town. Free forget-me-not making kits are available to collect from their HQ, The Moony Club, in Longton Exchange on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings between 10am and 12pm, or email to arrange collection at other times.

The organisation’s team of creative volunteers, who meet every Wednesday 10am to 12pm and every other Friday 7pm to 9pm, are currently making bunting and giant sunflowers to decorate the town.

Urban Wilderness CIC have also issued a call out for community performers to take part in the parade wearing outfits created by leading carnival costume and puppetry experts Shademakers, who also created the giant pig puppet, as well as volunteers to act as stewards and site dressers. A volunteer training session will be held at The Moony Club on Saturday, March 29, from 10am to 12pm.

Isla Telford, co-director of Urban Wilderness CIC, said: “We love working with local community groups and businesses to put this event on for Longton, and this year will be the biggest yet to celebrate Stoke’s centenary.

“Stoke-on-Trent is one of the greenest cities in England so we are filling Longton with flowers for the day. Our city’s motto reminds us that we are stronger together, which is always evident on carnival day because everyone pulls together to create a brilliant day for families and visitors.

“We would love to welcome as many people as possible from across North Staffordshire and South Cheshire to experience the joy of the carnival. We know that many people remember growing up attending carnivals with fond nostalgia and we want to bring back that feeling for 2025.”

This year the team will be bringing in another local character called Meddlesome Millie, who is based on Millicent, the Duchess of Sutherland. The daughter-in-law of the Duke who made the pig bet with John Aynsley, Millicent was a writer and social reformer who campaigned for better working conditions in the Potteries, including a successful fight to remove lead paint glazes from Staffordshire pottery.

Isla added: “Urban Wilderness CIC are specialists in living heritage and telling local stories for local communities, and we are excited to celebrate another historical figure from Stoke-on-Trent in our carnival and parade. Millicent was an incredible character and was known for her troupe of Pekingese dogs, who will also be remembered in the parade.”

Longton Carnival and Pig Walk Parade is produced by Urban Wilderness CIC, supported by the Longton community. It is funded by Arts Council England, The National Lottery Community Fund, UK Community Foundations and Stoke-on-Trent City Council through the Shared Prosperity Fund funded by UK Government.

To get involved, or for more information, visit: urbanwildernesscic.com/pigwalk or email info@urbanwildernesscic.com