The Torch was scheduled to arrive in Stoke early in the evening, but before that time there was a parade involving local schools and community groups. The Parade's assembly and starting point was on the College Road Campus of Staffordshire University, which just happens to be where I work, and so with the early afternoon start time approaching the campus began to fill with volunteers as the preparations got underway. Naturally, I took my camera out to get some shots of the work being done, and the people doing it!
A striking feature present on the campus was a giant blue marionette of a unicyclist, which was parked up outside the Film Theatre awaiting the puppeteers who would bring it to life. But even in stillness, it was quite a spectacle to behold!
Once the schools and community groups started arriving, the procession was assembled and the preparations were well underway with plenty of excited people milling around on the campus. Also in attendance were the local police, who were happy to be photographed:
Once the parade got underway, it was time to hit the streets and for the marionette to come to life! Shooting in amongst a crowd of people can prove tricky, but luckily the number of spectators on the campus walls was pretty low, so I was able to shoot through and over the crowds:
In the evening, the focus shifted to Hanley Park for the Olympic Torch Celebration, an event with around 11,000 people in attendance. The main stage was at the north end of the park, and the ability to shoot over the heads of the crowd came in handy once again! Amongst the appearances on stage there were acrobats, trick cyclists, dance duo Twist & Pulse, and rock act Kids In Glass Houses.
The height advantage was for nothing though, when the 'main event' came along. As soon as the Olympic Torchbearer Imran Sherwani stepped onto the stage, every person in the crowd who had a mobile phone waved it in the air in order to get a shot! Every child of liftable size was duly hoisted skywards, and getting a clear shot of the stage from my position about 40 metres back proved almost impossible. But only almost!
Once the main event was over, a large chunk of the spectators turned tail and headed for the exit. But those of us who chose to stay were treated to a frankly stunning visual spectacle, a performance by the New Vic Theatre Company, who filled the stage and the air with their piece:
The full set of pictures from the Olympic day of events can be seen on Flickr here: Olympic Events in Stoke On Trent photo set
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