Festival of the Dead - Ilford Parade

Grab your lanterns, masks and glowsticks to help bring Ilford alive in a grand spectacle of puppets led by The Lantern Company, the music of UDM Samba and more!Take a moment to honour your loved ones and join the celebration of life!Pre-parade Serenade - from 16:45Las Adelitas Mariachi BandBefore the parade starts, watch the all-female mariachi band, Las Adelitas warm up the crowd!Parade LineupLantern CompanyMeet the Skellies and friends as they tower over you, dance, play and guide you along the procession route!UDM SambaRedbridge Festival of the Dead 2026 is excited to welcome UDM Samba, London’s only dedicated Youth Samba band, to our Festival Parade, playing authentic music from the heart of Rio-carnival.Day of the Dead Stilt Walker CoupleMeet these colourful characters.
Catch them roaming inside and outside the library before joining the main procession!This is Mexico! Folk Dance GroupWatch them as they celebrate the joy of Mexican culture through traditional dance.
Catch them roaming inside and outside the library before the main procession!ITZATNA Arts Monarch ButterfliesITZATNA Arts will be joining us as ethereal monarch butterflies, symbolising the returning souls of ancestors, life, death and spiritual renewal in Mexican tradition.The Ilford Procession will gather inside the library 30 minutes before the start of the event.This project is supported with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.