AT 2pm last Saturday afternoon, August 19, former Cornwall rugby captain and headmaster at St Petroc’s School, Ben Hilton, cut a tape at the entrance to Bude Castle drive to signal the start of the town’s 2017 carnival, writes Christine Williams.

An ominous heavy shower threatened to dampen things but fortunately the weather stayed dry to allow the hundreds of locals and visitors who came to the fete in the afternoon and lined the streets in the evening to enjoy this happy and well organised event.

Firstly, all eyes were on the bandstand where MC Graham Hodgson presented Carnival Youth Ambassadors Jade Vale and Max Rutherford and ‘Citizens of the Year’ Stu and Su Bell for their good works in the community. Then came the crowning of Fairy Queen Lucie Stockton, who was accompanied by her attendants Carmen Show and Kiya-Mae Philp, the Fairy Princess Evie Becker, accompanied by her attendants Bella Hockin, Lillie Welch and Fairy Prince Isaac Stockton was also crowned.

All over the castle green and beyond were numerous food, charity and fun stalls and for the children entertainment by ‘Passing Showers’, the toy library, a bouncy castle, trampolines and face painting. Live entertainment was provided by London based vocalist and songwriter with local connections Dani Senior and down at the Bude Light there were displays of dancing by CJ’s Dance and Jason Thomas Performing Arts.

After judging, the children in fancy dress set off to parade along the Strand, led by piper Dave Crossley. Among them on a bicycle the youngest was Jack Moore aged 11 months dressed as a Minion. By late afternoon carnival floats and vehicles were beginning to assemble at the Wharf and at 6.30pm, after judging, led by the Town Band and Fairy Queen, the parade set off on a circuit of the town. Among the floats, one from the Bencoolen and another from Bridgerule, poked fun at the time it took to construct the new Hillhead roundabout with slogans ‘It will be done dreckly’ and ‘the world took seven days, the roundabout two years’. Other catching sights were ‘Boogie Nights’ by the Brendon Arms, ‘Tea Party’ by the Falcon Hotel, Caesar’s Palace’s ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ with Bideford Sea Scouts in the ’Revenge’, ‘Making Bude Brighter’ by Light-up Bude, Noah’s Ark and the Tamarside Singers with ‘Back to the Forties’.

Interspersed among the floats came the rhythmic music of the North Devon Pipes and Drums and the Barstaple Youth Marching Band while, awaiting the parade in the Triangle, was Samba Band ‘Energia’. There was visiting royalty from Hartland, Bridgerule, St Dennis, Launceston, Holsworthy and Brea, and it was a long walk for the walking masqueraders and the energetic dance troupe girls who pranced their way around the town. The parade also featured commercial and emergency vehicles as well as some vintage cars and looking very confused were some tethered sheep drawing attention to the imminent Holsworthy and Stratton Show.

Thanks were expressed to the hardworking carnival committee and volunteers, who were seen throughout the day in their yellow t-shirts, for keeping the spirit of the carnival alive in Bude.