Final preparations are being made for the Beccles Carnival on August 15 and 16 which promises two days of family fun. And Look out for the Beccles and Bungay Journal stand at Beccles Quay on the Sunday afternoon with goody bags for sale and for the first time ever our free Funny Faces Photo Booth.
We will have a huge variety of costumes for you to dress up in, courtesy of Party Pants of Southwold, and our photographer will take a picture of you, your friends and family posed in one of our specially made frames from Beccles framers Woodware Workshops. Or you can come along in one of your own wacky outfits.
All photographs will be printed in a special supplement the following week and readers will have the chance to vote for their favourite child and adult picture.
Among the prizes for the best entries is a jar of sweets from Beccles’s traditional sweet shop Sweet Memories.
The carnival begins on the Saturday at 1pm at Beccles Quay with the annual teddy bear parade followed by the bonnie baby competition and running races for children.
Music will be provided throughout the afternoon by the Moore Music Roadshow, with the chance to meet the Beccles Carnival mascot and enjoy a picnic and games with family and friends.
There will also be a variety of stalls to browse including jewellery, clothes, handbags, dolls, homecare, wood craft and more. The bar will be open all weekend along with the fun fair, bouncy castles and food stands at the quay.
Saturday evening sees the return of Beccles Quay Rocks and local bands Company D, Firewire, Less Than This and Last Minute will all be performing on the stage.
Event organiser Annette Tackley issued a plea to local people to show their support.
She said: “The carnival is nothing without the people, so we really need local people to come and support it. The carnival brings people to Beccles and is a really nice, positive thing to promote our town and bring everyone together.”
The entertainment will continue on Sunday with the grand carnival parade, leaving Roys car park, turning left into Gosford Road, left into Station Road, straight up into Market Street, left into New Market, left into The Walk, along Saltgate, into Northgate and finishing at Beccles Quay, Fen Lane at around 2pm.
Beccles carnival Parade Organiser Denise Feek said: “Each year we rely on local businesses, clubs, societies, organisations, and individuals to spend lot of time and effort preparing for their carnival float.
“Each year the quality and hard work shines through when thousands of people line the streets to watch the marching bands, majorettes, floats, walkers, vintage, and classic cars make their way around the historic route of Beccles town centre.”
The full list of parade entries is available on the carnival website.
After the parade arrives at Beccles Quay at around 2pm, there will be entertainment in the main arena from 12-year-old Breeze Redwine, Caroline Yardy’s Zumba, Samba Band, Urban Allstars, Crystalette Twirlers, Lowestoft Dog Agility, Tom Elgie and more.
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