Flame Celebration Family Events

With the Olympics starting in Rio on Friday 5th August, the countdown is now on for the Paralympic Games, which start on 7th September.

To celebrate our area’s unique link to this international sporting occasion, the town will be providing a variety of events for you to take part in. The biggest one that is open to all, will take place in Vale Park where you are invited to join the Flame Celebration in true Rio Carnival style.

You will be entertained by colourful and flamboyant carnival dancers, fire breathing stilt walkers and hoola-hoopists. Music and entertainment will be brought to you live from the team at Mix 96, alongside performances from the award winning Aylesbury Cheerleading Academy and the The Disability Karate Federation, showing that anyone can take part in Ikkaido. Tom Smiths Fun Fair will be at the event too, with special ramps to aid access to the rides, as well as having low sensory times, when the lights and music will be turned off, so that those with multi-sensory disorders can also enjoy the thrill of a fair-ground ride. This is the first time that such an all-inclusive fun fair has been provided in the area (charges will apply for the fun fair).

In addition to all of this great free fun and entertainment, there will be a bar, and a traditional Brazilian style BBQ, so you can experience all of the sounds, smells and flavour of a vibrant Rio Carnival.

At approximately 8pm, once the Paralympic Heritage Flame has been officially lit at the lighting ceremony in Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the Parade of Light will enter and circle Vale Park. This is a bright and colourful carnival procession of 500 disabled people, carrying flags and banners especially made for the event. The Parade of Light will be led by the Paralympic Heritage Flame, carried by Bob O’Shea, former Paralympic Rugby captain and they will be accompanied by the Toque Tambor Samba band and all of our carnival dancers.

The Parade of Light will then continue, as the Flame is passed hand-to-hand around the park in a symbolic uniting the Flame with the people of Buckinghamshire. Anyone can apply to take part in the passing of the Flame, by being a Golden Flame Ticket holder, please follow this link to register your interest http://bit.ly/GFTicket2016 . The celebrations will culminate when local man and Invictus Games participant Luke Delahunty, accompanied by Eloise Leabros and Andy Shipley, take the Flame across the park to light an amazing firework display.

All of this spectacular, sensational, carnival fun and entertainment will be brought to you by Aylesbury Town Council, AVDC, Buckinghamshire Disability Service (BuDS), with the support of the event sponsor Sportif Citroen and media partner Mix 96.

If you require additional information about access and support for those with disabilities, please visit www.buds.org.uk

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