The streets will come alive with a jamboree of glitz, glitter and entertainment next Saturday, with the return of Frome Street Carnival.
Taking place on Saturday 21st September, there will once again be two parts to the truly spectacular community event, with the children’s procession in the afternoon, followed by the evening procession.
New this year will be a pre-procession warm-up with a majorettes’ display, which will parade through the streets ahead of the main carnival. The Army Cadets band will also be playing in both processions.
“We are really looking forward to a fantastic event this year,” explained one of the organisers, Mandy Morgan.
Children’s Carnival
Registration for the Children’s Carnival opens at Victoria Park at 1pm. Judging will start promptly at 1.30pm, with the procession leaving promptly at 2.30pm.
The procession will follow a one-mile route up Weymouth Road, down Somerset Road, Butts Hill, along Christchurch Street and then back up Weymouth Road to Victoria Park.
Evening Carnival
The majorettes’ procession will leave at 6.45pm, followed by the main procession at 7pm, which will both leave from the Marston Trading Estate and head towards the town centre, ‘wowing’ crowds as the processions move down Bath Street.
“We are expecting this year to be one of the best yet we have had so many entries; it has been amazing,” says Mandy. “We have lost some originals but we have gained some new ones as well. We just have to pray for nice weather. Even if it’s not, I just hope people will come out and support everybody. It’s going to be a really good carnival!”
For more information about the event, carnival programmes will be for sale costing £1 and the team will start selling these at the Cheese Show on Saturday 14th September. “If anyone would like to help us sell these ahead of the carnival, we very much want to hear from you,” says Mandy.
“The Rotary will also be selling the programmes on the day, huge thanks to them. There is going to be a lucky number on the back of the programme and the lucky number will be drawn at the football club after the procession. The winner of the lucky number will get £50.”
Charities that the carnival will be raising funds for this year are Frome Army Cadets, Witham Friary Junior FC and the Macular Society.
“Members of the Witham Friary FC will also be selling all the light up goods on the night. The profits will be split between the football club and the carnival,” says Mandy.
“It’s going to be one of the best carnivals since before Covid. It has taken a few years to get everybody back up to a pre-Covid state financially.
“We have had lots of sponsors. Simon at Recovery Frome supports us all year round, so a special thanks to him and his team and a special thanks to Gav’s Taxis and to all our sponsors.”
For more information about road closures visit the Frome Street Carnival website https://www.fromecarnival.org.uk/carnival
Pictured: Last year’s carnival 2023
