Taunton Carnival on Saturday

PROCESSION.

THE 49th successive Taunton Carnival will wend its way through the town centre on Saturday.

The annual illuminated procession moves off at 7pm from the bridge in Tangier Way, down into Wood Street, turning right into Bridge Street, going through the town centre into East Street and down over East Reach.

The public performance and judging ends at the junction with Wordsworth Drive.

As a prelude to the main event, Harley Davidson motorcycles will parade around the route just before 7pm to ‘warm up’ the crowd.

The Batala Samba Band, from Bristol, will be ahead of the main procession.

Feature, tableau and comic floats will provide dazzling displays using hundreds of light bulbs interspersed between walking entries, with themes ranging from pirates to transformers.

Many of the entries have spent weeks making costumes and building floats - as well as entertaining the crowd they compete in 12 classes for trophies and points towards the overall South Somerset Federation awards.

Bournemouth Youth Marching Band is back, while seven troupes of Majorettes will show their marching and twirling skills.

DURING THE DAY.

ON Saturday morning historic cars and Harley Davidsons will proceed through the town centre in convoy before forming up on Castle Green.

Miss Taunton, Imogen Stephens, will pick ‘the most pleasing vehicle’ for the annual Spiller Trophy.

Local favourite Denny Blackmore will perform with his jazz band to entertain shoppers and help create a carnival atmosphere.

Tone Leisure will be there with sporting activities.

CHILDREN’S CARNIVAL.

SATURDAY afternoon sees the Children’s Carnival for anyone up to 16-years-old.

Committee chairman Marilyn House said: “We have classes for groups and individuals.

“We already have some entries and are happy to take more during the week or on Saturday from 1pm in Enfield Car Park.”

The Children’s Carnival leaves Enfield at 2.30pm, passing through Castle Green and Castle Bow, down through North Street into Wood Street.

The Mayor, Cllr Dave Durdan, will ride in the parade and present prizes back in Enfield Car Park.

CHARITIES.

TAUNTON Carnival Committee puts in all the hard work organising the procession to provide a spectacle in the town’s calendar and raise money for local charities.

Mrs House said: “Our two principal beneficiaries this year are SURE (Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment) and The Samaritans.

“Both are well known in the town and surrounding area and we’re confident people will wish to support them.

“They’re included in our daytime activities on Castle Green, so come along and find out more about them.

“During the evening procession there will be dozens of official collectors on the ground - please empty your pockets and give them a busy and successful night.

“The reward for performers and event organisers is to see all the collecting tins full and piles of coins on the lorries.

“Show your appreciation by getting rid of all that loose change you’ve been keeping since last October.”

Treasurer Roz Swinburne said: “If everyone put £1 or 50p coins into the collection we’d have a wonderful year.

“Of course we don’t mind what coins or notes come our way but we do need lots of them please.

“We’re happy if it takes us all day Sunday to count.”

ROAD CLOSURES AND TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS.

CASTLE Street will be closed to traffic between the entrance to Tangier and Castle Street car parks as will Tangier Way down to Lidl car park from 2pm to allow all the entries to assemble and get ready for the evening’s show. Access to Tesco and Lidl will not be affected, but Enfield car park will be closed all day.

The town centre will be closed at 6.30pm so the procession route can be cleared of traffic before the crowds move in to line the pavements.

Through traffic is directed away from the centre to keep it moving and to keep a clear access to Musgrove Park Hospital.

Two diversions keep traffic moving around the outside – from the east along Bridgwater Road, Ilminster Road and Chestnut Drive; and from the west using Park Street, The Crescent, Mary Street, South Road and Chestnut Drive or Silk Mills Road, Greenway Road and Priorswood Road.

No vehicles will be able to leave Wood Street, Yarde Place, Haydon Road or Victoria Gate on to the route while the procession is taking place, between 6.30pm and around 9pm.

There will be an alternative route out of the Wood Street area via Cleveland Street and French Weir Recreation Ground.

SAFETY.

THE Carnival Committee works closely with all the emergency services to make sure everything on and off the procession route runs smoothly on the night.

There are marshals along the route to keep an eye on spectators and make sure the procession passes safely.

They are supported by police, with St John Ambulance crews from across Somerset around the route in case of accidents to participants or spectators.

Senior staff from the emergency services and other agencies come together in a joint control room at Taunton Police Station, where they can co-ordinate action should anything unforeseen happen.

CARNIVAL ROYALTY.

MISS Taunton - Carnival Queen Imogen Stevens - and Carnival Princess Kitty Burke will take pride of place near the front of the procession in their gowns, cloaks and tiaras.

Both won their titles in competitions supported by the County Gazette.

THANKS.

PLANNING the carnival is a round-the-clock activity for the committee, with much of the work behind the scenes.

Carnival secretary John Lewis said: “Every year is different and brings its own challenges.

“We meet regularly with the police, the county and borough councils to make sure everything is organised and recorded well in advance.

“This gives us a safe platform for all the clubs and individuals who spend many hours to bring the spectacle to life on the night.

“I’d like to thank all of them and the volunteers out there on Saturday evening.

“The Performing Rights Society has again helped keep costs down by waiving a large part of the copyright fees due for musical entertainment.

“Our ambition is always to give to our charities everything we collect on Saturday plus a little more.

“Inevitably costs go up every year for background things like insurance, traffic management and health and safety.

“Carnival is not cheap to put on and the committee organises Taunton Marathon & Half Marathon and 10k road races earlier in the year to bring in the money needed.

“We’ve had sponsorship and support from lots of local companies over the years for many of our activities - without them none of this would happen.

“What we need to cap it all is good weather and full collecting tins this weekend. Please dig deep to help us keep the carnival tradition alive in Taunton and support this year’s chosen charities.”

For any other information on the day’s events, or if you’d like to help in any way, contact Marilyn House on 07814-352937 (e-mail mail@marilynhouse.co.uk) or John Lewis on 01823-283892 (e-mail jsilewis@btinternet.com).

Taunton Carnival Procession number, club, title of entry.

1, Batala Samba Band, Batala Samba Band; 2, Ringwood Public Address, Public Address – Ringwood; 3, Miss Taunton Support Car, Wellington Motors; 4, Miss Taunton & Princess, Miss Taunton & Princess; 5, New Direction Majorettes, New Direction Majorettes; 6, Collecting Vehicle - Taunton Scouts, Collecting Vehicle - Taunton Scouts; 7, Harlequin CC, Tortuga; 8, Sam's Funky Fun, Sam's Funky Fun; 8A, Friends Carnival Club, Let It Snow; 9, Judy Williams, Chess; 10, Xtreme CC, Hear Me Roar; 11, Heart Radio, Heart Radio; 12, Fantasy CC, Wild at Heart; 13, Club 2000, El Nino; 14, Honiton Twirlstar Majorettes, Honiton Twirlstars; 15, Generations CC, This Time Next Year; 16, Cousins CC, Wonderland Shuffle; 17, CISPP, CISPP Mobile Exhibition Unit; 18, Colin Burnap, Bon Appetite!; 19, Harbourside CC, Stars Trekkin; 20, Lorna Stephenson, Catch a Dream; 21, Nancy Stephenson, Ahoy Me Hearties; 22, Berrys Coaches, Servicing the West County since 1970; 23, Wellington Majorettes, Wellington Majorettes; 24, Miss Wellington, Miss Wellington; 25, The Octagon Theatre, Jack and the Beanstalk; 26, Collecting Vehicle - Denis Pearce, Collecting Vehicle - Denis Pearce; 27, Genesis Youth Theatre Group, Crazy Nites; 28, Jacks CC, Aztec Artisan; 29, Trojan Twirlers, Trojan Twirlers; 30, Wayfarers Pantomine Society, Wayfarers Pantomine Society; 31, Limelight Theatre, Material World; 32, SP Services (SW) Ltd, SP Services (SW) Ltd; 33, Unicorn CC, Centenary of World War 1; 34, Tesco Taunton, Farm-to-Forker's; 35, Taylors Coach Travel, Taylors Coach Travel; 36, Bournemouth Youth Marching Band, Bournemouth Youth Marching Band; 37, Oake Manor, Oake Manor; 38, Poppe Inn, Poppe Stones; 39, Jess CC, Whatever the Weather; 39A, The Brewhouse Theatre, The Brewhouse Theatre; 40, Spirit CC, Attraction; 41, Stardust Majorettes, Rhythm of the Night; 42, Dave and Lisa Arney, Winging It; 43, Rascals CC, Rumble in the Jungle; 44, Eclipse CC, Dead Men Tell No Tales; 45, A & A CC, Mr & Mrs; 46, Rio Welsh, Davy Jones Locker (The Sailors Graveyard); 47, Denis Pearce Public Address, Public Address - Denis Pearce; 48, Collecting Vehicle - Apple Campers, Collecting Vehicle - Apple Campers; 49, Chard Goldstars, Chard Goldstars; 50, Miss Chard, Miss Chard; 51, Blackbrook & Silver Street Guides, Wild West Gang; 52, Wookey Hole, Santaland at Wookey Hole; 53, IT Know Howe Computer Services, IT Know Howe Computer Services; 54, Bridgwater Guy Fawkes CC, Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Cart; 55, Taunton Sea & Royal Marines Cadets, Taunton Sea & Royal Marine Cadets; 56, Zem CC, Flash, Bang, Wallop!; 57, One Plus One CC, Summit Nunny; 58, Dee Gees CC, Nordic Walkers; 59, Staplegrove Scout Group, Frozen Wonderland; 60, Apple FM, 97.3 Apple FM; 61, Collecting Vehicle - Deane DLO, Collecting Vehicle - Deane DLO; 62, Merriott Majorettes, Merriott Silhouette Majorettes; 63, Andy Tizzard, Whiz Pop Bang Bang; 64, Wellington Pantomine Group, Scrooge; 65, Berrys Coaches, Berrys Coaches Training Academy; 66, Gemini CC, Transformers ... The Cube.