A COLOURFUL new event which has attracted national funding will help people get into the party at the Top of The Town later this month.

A Mexican Day of the Dead event, known as Dia de Muertos, will take place at the Top of The Town on October 30 and will include a colourful night-time parade featuring giant lighted skulls, skeletons, dancers and fire artists, lanterns and flags.

The event, which will be held in Market Place and Wote Street between 12noon and 8pm, is the Top of The Town’s alternative to traditional Halloween celebrations and has been funded following an £11,507 grant from Arts Council England.

The colourful occasion is the latest event as part of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s programme of events to attract more visitors to the Top of The Town.

The event will be delivered by Proteus Theatre Company in association with Big Adventures event management who put together the successful bid to win the grant.

Mexican Day of the Dead originated from South America as a way of honouring the lives of the departed, and is becoming a popular alternative to traditional Halloween festivities.

During the day, those attending will be able to enjoy arts and crafts activities, food stalls, street entertainment and a night market, as well as storytellers with traditional tales from Basingstoke's past.

Half term workshops will be held for children to make paper lanterns and papier mâché figures for the parade of lights and dance routines choreographed by Brazilian dancer Manuela Benini will involve JG Dance and Basingstoke Academy of Dance (BAD), young people from youth groups across the borough and the Basingstoke Gateway Award Project.

The borough council’s Cabinet member leading on the Town Centre Programme, Councillor Terri Reid, said: “This is a very exciting new community event for Basingstoke, celebrating the town’s diversity and showcasing professional outdoor arts and local talent.

“The extra funding means that the communities around Basingstoke can really get involved with the event, for example through children’s half term workshops. It will also add even more exciting things to the programme for the afternoon and evening.

“Following on from the Arts Council funding for an opening parade in the Top of the Town for this year’s Basingstoke Festival, this is great news for the profile of the arts in the historic heart of Basingstoke.”

For more information, visit www.topofthetown.org.