Royal Wootton Bassett carnival is in town (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Royal Wootton Bassett carnival is in town

12:00pm Friday 18th May 2012 in Royal Wootton Bassett By Emma Dunn

Music, dancing and a procession will be lighting up the High Street in Royal Wootton Bassett this weekend as the 40th carnival gets underway.

Celebrations will start in the High Street from noon on Saturday with entertainment from bands, dancers and a magician followed by the procession, which leaves from the top of Marlowe Way at 4.30pm.

Committee member Gillian Hughes said: “There is a really big buzz around it this year around the town. A lot more local groups have got involved.

“It has to be a day to remember. It is such a special year with the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. It is our 40th year and a lot of groups have embraced that. We have got lots of procession entries this year.

“All the floats have made their own different themes from the Diamond Jubilee to the Olympics. One of the floats in the procession has used the year we started as their theme, which was 1972.”

There will be a performance from the town’s brass band, Ceroc dancers, Cricklade Silver Band and a DJ in the High Street.

There will also be a steel band in Boroughfields, as well as a magician and balloon blowers.

A total of 15 groups are taking part in the procession, including Wootton Bassett Rotary, Maslins Electrical, Lucy Pet Carer, The Five Bells, 4th Wootton Bassett Brownies, the Royal Wootton Bassett Diamond Jubilee committee, Allsorts Pre-school and Longleaze Pre-school.

Heron Beaver Scouts, Rent a Camper, Apache Cubs, Wootton Bassett Twinning Association, Wootton Bassett School for Dance and Maddisons Grocers are also taking part. Wessex Military Band will entertain the crowds during the procession.

“We have got some great entertainment in the procession but we are keeping that a surprise,” said Ms Hughes.

“People should come to support their local community and hopefully make it our biggest event ever. It will be a family occasion and there will be lots of different sorts of music. I love that Wootton Bassett is a town that still has a carnival. Carnivals are a dying breed so it is nice to keep it going.”

As part of this year’s celebrations, the committee will be creating a display of old photos looking back to 1972.

For more information visit www.woottonbassettcarnival.com