General Chat

The Somerset carnival season starts this saturday. there are 7 carnivals over the following two weeks; with the first in Bridgwater on the 1st of November and the last in Glastonbury on the 15th.

Do you have carnivals where you live? What are they like? Do you go?

Some people say they are alright if you like looking at lightbulbs. :-)

I used to see a small carnival in North Devon which stopped a few years ago due to lack of support. It wasn't very good; but it did raise money for some local good causes.

For people who don't want to donate their hard earned cash, the carnivals are a free nights entertainment. ;-)

http://www.somersetcarnivals.co.uk/events.asp

It is another source of income for the showmen who have, traditionally, had a lean period between the hiring fairs of Michaelmas and Easter.

Weston super Mare has a great carnival.
http://www.northsomersetcarnival.co.uk/

The people who take part in the carnivals don't get paid for it. At least. not 'round here they don't.

Michaelmas is usually the time of the fairs; which is totally different.

Off to Bridgwater on Saturday, I always look forward to it, especially the Gremlins floats.

They have to be seen to be believed, I understand it is the biggest Carnival after Rio. Not sure if that is true or not but certainly close.

Looks like it is going to be a mild dry night as well, thank goodness, three hours or so in rain or freezing weather is never good.

M.

Well the Gremlins float was really good again yesterday. :-)

I liked the entertainment that went on during the day. Especially the various jugglers and the Bournmouth Carnival Band. :-)

The Wells City Band were pretty good too. ;-)

My boss phoned me up to ask me if I wanted to go in to work; but it seems my phone doesn't work in the church ;-) Must be the lead roof interfering with the reception :-D

Glad you enjoyed it.

Here in Winchester, we don't have a carnival as such - we have
The Hat Fair.
It used to be a brilliant busker's festival.
For a week, walking around town became a fascinating 'obstacle' as you'd turn a corner and find a performer and small audience!
The programme just listed the buskers.

......then it was taken over by the Live Theatre Winchester Trust, and is now 'properly organised', so no more than 'X' performers are on the street at any one time, and, after the Saturday, they are confined to parks, so you have to go out of your way to find them, and the programme lists buskers, times and places.

The performers however, are brilliant

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=winchester+hat+fair