Newbury Carnival in full swing
Excitement is building in Victoria Park - where the fete and fair has already kicked off - and with a record 124 stalls offering a wide range of activities and music, there should be something for everyone on this glorious summer day.
The
has established a base near the cafe and our photographers are busy snapping away to capture your carnival memories, all ready for
online picture gallery.
Press and promotion officer, Tom Satterthwaite, said: "The weather is set to be fantastic, which is perfect for the carnival, and we're delighted to see a wide cross section of people and activities in the park.
"Victoria Park is filling up and the biggest parade we can remember starts at 2pm so if you have not planned to come down already there's still time to come along."
Floats for the parade are already assembling in Pound Street and we be ready to set off on their time travelling journey at 2pm, spearheaded by the town crier, Brian Sylvester, and this year’s Carnival Queen, Kelly Edmund.
A record number of entries exploring the theme of 'Travels in Time -Past, Present and Future' will transport the town centre to a by gone era with floats including the French Revolution, Grease and travels in Narnian Time.
The sounds of the Second World War will also resonate across the town at 3:10pm when a Lancaster Bomber, Spitfire and Hurricane fighter planes from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight perform a fly past.
The parade will then wind through Bartholomew Street and down Northbrook Street, turning onto the London Road and proceeding through Park Way, ending in Victoria Park.
There will be inevitable road closures to allow the parade to flow through the town, with Pound Street and Enbourne Road closed from 12.30pm to 2.30pm while the parade assembles and traffic from Rockingham Road will be diverted via Enborne Road to Buckingham Road.
From 2.30pm to 4pm there will be a rolling closure through the town to allow the parade to pass and then disperse.
Organisers are expecting London Road to be congested or closed for some time and traffic from the Robin Hood Roundabout is advised to divert along Western Avenue.
Park Way will also be closed for a short time while the floats unload and disperse and during this time buses and taxi’s will be diverted via Bear lane and the A339.
Today will also witness the unveiling of the Newbury Town Flag and the town council has 1,500 hand held flags for people to wave as the parade passes through the town.
The park will also host a range of charity stalls as well as the Newbury Carnival fun dog show, run by the National Animal Welfare Trust, Great Shefford.
Organisers plan to have 12 classes running in the park, including best puppy, best trick and fastest biscuit eater.
Registrations are planned between noon and 2pm, with judging expected to begin at 3pm.
And if that isn’t enough to keep you entertained, a skate and BMX jam will be held at the Victoria Park skate park to celebrate the second anniversary of its opening.
Photographers can also snap up prizes in the photography competition, which offers a £25 prize for the best photo or video taken on the day using a mobile phone and uploaded to organisers through social media, using #newburycarnivalpics or to the Carnival Facebook page.
There will also be a £75 prize for best overall photo or video submitted by July 20.
