FROME is gearing up for one of the biggest events in the town, Frome Carnival, which takes place next weekend, Saturday 23rd September.
Thousands of people from far and wide will fill the streets of the town to watch the processions.
The children’s procession starts at 2.30pm from Victoria Park, with the main evening procession at 6.45pm, starting from the junction of Manor Road with The Butts.
This year, the evening procession will be led by a fleet of vintage cars, which the committee hopes will add a new and exciting dimension to the carnival procession.
Procession secretary Kevin Sivell said, “We’re really looking forward to this year’s carnival and we’re pleased to see a number of new entries for the procession. The main procession will feature a range of different entries, including the new carnival ambassadors, floats, bands, majorettes and walking entries.
“We always welcome late entries and people turning up on the day. Anyone wanting to enter the children’s carnival will need to have registered at Victoria Park by 1.45pm, to allow judging to start at 2pm. Late entries for the evening carnival are accepted up to 5pm on the day.”
As well as the carnival processions, there’s free street entertainment in the Westway precinct from 11am-2pm, with live music, street acts, carnival mask painting and face painting.
Road closures will be in place to allow the procession to move safely through the town. Frome Carnival committee ask that residents take particular care over where they park on carnival day; in recent years the children’s procession has not been able to complete its route as planned because parked vehicles were blocking the road.
Roads will be closed for the afternoon procession from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, including Weymouth Road, Somerset Road, Butts Hill and Christchurch Street West.
Roads will then close from 6.30pm to 10.30pm for the evening procession, which will start at the junction of Manor Road with The Butts, proceed along The Butts, Butts Hill, Welsey Slope, Bath Street, Market Place, North Parade, Berkley Road, Badgers Hill and finishes by the Football Ground.
This year, the committee would like to emphasise to the public not to buy anything from anyone who is not a Frome Carnival official volunteer.
Carnival committee member Emily Denne added, “The carnival raises money for the carnival charity, which helps individuals, groups and good causes in the local area.
“In order to raise as much money as possible in donations, the carnival requires a team of dedicated collectors. There are prizes for the best dressed collector and the best group of collectors.
“This year we are trying a new and exciting initiative by selling our own light up toys for children.
“Each year a number of people sell light up toys and balloons at the carnival, but many people don’t realise that this money does not go to the carnival. This year the Somerset Carnivals have all agreed to sell their own items.
“Official collectors and sellers will be wearing a purple and yellow high-vis vest, with ‘Frome Carnival Volunteer’ written on the back. We would urge the local community to get behind this initiative and buy from our sellers. We are also aiming to sell our pieces at a lower cost than the other peddlers, with our toys ranging from £1 to £4 per item.”
Please click on the link below to see Frome Carnival Special Feature spread.
http://www.frometimes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/carnival-feature-1.pdf
