LOCAL primary school children were invited to imagine a character which could be developed into a mascot for Stockton Heath Festival 2026 and beyond.
The pupils were asked to create a friendly personality which represented both the Festival and the local area – and given the annual Festival aims to provide ‘Something for Everyone’ the mascot was also to be universal and inclusive.
Schools submitted their ideas anonymously, which were appraised based on the idea alone and not the level of drawing skill.
Festival volunteer organisers had the difficult task of shortlisting the ideas, and ultimately choosing the one which they felt was full of impact. Peter, the Festival Volunteer Coordinator says:
“It was tricky to choose given the amazing creativity and thought that had gone into these mascot sketches. The talent of the children shone through, each sharing their vision of what the mascot could be. The characters were so varied including bears, dogs, squirrels and foxes, and those which stood out really told the local story and included activities the Festival is known for. The winner was full of originality and personality, and jumped off the page straight away, making us smile.”
Peter adds: “Having visited Stockton Heath and St Monica’s primary schools to congratulate the children who created the Winner and Highly Commended sketches, I was delighted to hear they enjoyed creating their mascots and I would like to thank them all and the schools for making such a fantastic effort.”
Highly Commended – Grace Freeman, Queralt Oliveras-Santandreu, Emily Ebbrell from St Monica’s Catholic Primary School
The winning idea has been developed into the final mascot to represent the popular Stockton Heath Festival from 2026 and beyond. Can you spot ‘Heathy’ (which reflects the area and also means vitality) hiding in a few shops in the heart of the village from Thursday 4th December to Sunday 11th January 2026?
To recognise the talent and variety of ideas the children put forward, the school submissions have now been invited to take part in the 2026 Stockton Heath Festival in July. This will be a dedicated exhibition showcasing each mascot sketch and stories put forward by the primary school children.
General enquiries contact: Hello@StocktonHeathFestival.co.uk
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