Parade Excitement Builds

THIS morning children across the Shire are waking up to the excitement of being in the big parade for the Scone and Upper Hunter Horse Festival.

Last minute touches are being made to the floats, horses are moving down to White Park and feather bowers are being brought out of the cupboard.

This year there is one group who are especially excited to be part of the parade for the first time, the newly formed Showstoppers Performing Arts Company for People with Disabilities.

Performers from Showstoppers Baihe Butcher, Leah Cameron, Suzy Carneiro, Amy Ray, Shirnia Adams, Jill Hamling, Kiera Elphinstone and Andrew Davies

There will be ten performers with disabilities, who have a support entourage of nearly 30 other performers.

Jill Hamling, president and artistic director said the new performing arts company was formed so that local people with disabilities could access musical theatre and the performing arts in their everyday lives.

“Our goal was to have a week to week in-house performing arts program which has now been established and is proving to be successful,” said Ms Hamling.

“Our monthly “There’s no biz like Showbiz” workshop  and after school dance, singing and ddrama program  are new innovations that will not only benefit all children and adults with disabilities but the whole community,” she said.

“We have three talented volunteer teachers on board Baihe Butcher, singing teacher, Mariata Takiuta drama teacher; Andrew Davis -art teacher & myself as dance teacher for our monthly workshops,” she said.

“All of our programs are free to people with disabilities,” Jill Hamling said.

Dancers from Samba Brazil Entertainment, Sydney will be bringing the spirit of Rio to the parade, thank goodness for the unseasonably warm weather.

Noelene Black and Beryl Bates announce their final tour.

This year will also see the last parade appearance of crowd favourites Beryl Bates and Noelene Black, they are sure to go out with a bang.

The parade begins at 10:45am sharp, with the intersection of Liverpool Street and Kelly Street a prime position to view the parade.