Torches shining in the evening light, 1,000 people stepped out onto the streets of Hull bearing flames for Freedom Festival. William Wilberforce's statue looked down above Hull College as men and women from all walks of life made their way through the city to the exuberant sound of drumming and the horns of a brass band.
The procession last night marked the official start of Freedom, Hull's three-day celebration of music and culture. It was a moment to remember the equality Wilberforce's anti-slave campaign helped to achieve.
"Torchlight processions are very beautiful but they're very atmospheric," said Ellie Turner, managing the parade for events company Walk The Plank. "They lend themselves to celebration and also to reflection, and I think the festival is about both of those things."
Scores of revellers made their way through the city to Humber Street, led by a fire-breathing Viking longboat on wheels with a solitary figure dancing on the deck. Many of those involved were from city charities. A group from Dove House Hospice were there to thank Hull for its support.
"Being part of such a unique event isn't only really exciting, it gives us the chance to give something back to the community," said fundraising manager Karinda Jones. "Hull is such a diverse city and the Freedom Festival shows that off so well. We're lucky to have it here."
The procession officially kicked things off but the first arts events began earlier. Despite nervous glances up towards the grey, leaden sky – and the occasional sprouting of umbrellas – the festival got off to steady start on Friday afternoon.
While white vans hauled amps and kegs around Humber Street and Wellington Street became a hive of activity for workers setting up stalls with names such as Kebab King and Mexican Cantina, the more artistic endeavours were already under way, across Castle Street, in the city centre. While a youthful actor delivered a one man-show about rugby outside the bright, mood-defying canary yellow shed in Queen Victoria Square – a dozen hardy onlookers braving a brief downpour – a nun on a motorised piano zipped up and down the streets singing I Feel For You by Chaka Khan.
Elsewhere, the feeling that organisers were pushing for more of a street festival vibe flourished in Victoria Square, up King Edward Street and along Jameson Street, as two troll-faced flower pot men nonchalantly chatted to passers-by, and suspicious-looking elderly ladies scuttled around on pimped-up Segways. Such was the sudden arrival of bizarre characters that several people stopped to gawp at one woman with shocking red hair berating someone called "Paul" on her phone outside That's Entertainment record shop, unsure whether they were witnessing street art or a real domestic.
Apparently, Paul is too lazy to get out from in front of his new plasma screen. Outside BHS puppeteers from Hull's Indigo Moon presented a sequin-clad Indian dance show, watched intently by Buster the Staffordshire bull terrier, who looked very interested in proceedings.
Back in Humber Street the movers and shakers were convening to survey progress. At 2.15pm, Freedom Festival board chairman Graham Chesters was confidently surveying the sky, predicting an end to drizzle and looking forward to the torchlight parade.
Mr Chesters, surveying the calm before the (hopefully) metaphorical storm, said: "I'm nervous and excited with anticipation. I came down yesterday to see them setting up the tents and you could feel the atmosphere building. It was tangible."
Jon Pywell, Hull City Council's lead officer on the City of Culture bid, said the Freedom Festival had the potential to show Hull at its best. He said: "It all looks fantastic. The city centre is preparing itself for what is the biggest street festival in the north of England and, basically, I can't wait."
That electric anticipation was in the air at the procession too. The drummers and torch-holders streamed into the streets under Wilberforce's statue, inheriting the legacy that gave Freedom its name.
It is impossible to know what the great man would have made of it. But it's nice to think he would have been proud.
• Quick guide to Saturday's events at Freedom Festival 2013
