St Mary's Village Carnival - 5th July 2008

Posted on June 30, 2008

Carnival fun is coming to Eaton Bray and Edlesborough on Saturday, July 5 - the biggest event of the year in the villages.

This year, St Mary's Village Carnival will be opened by the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, the Rt Rev Graeme Knowles. The dean, a former Dunstable Grammar School pupil, will officially launch the annual event at 1pm at Edlesborough Green, the Carnival site.

All sorts of entertainment has been lined up, and with more than 50 stalls, there is sure to be something for everyone.

A colourful carnival procession on a Fairy Tales theme starts off the fun, led by a steel band and majorettes. More than a dozen fancy dress floats and 30 vintage vehicles will start out from The Orchards, Eaton Bray, at 12 noon and make their way to Edlesborough Green. Neighbours living along the route decorate their houses in line with the carnival theme, to take part in the Best Dressed House contest.

Stalls at the carnival site will open for business at 12 noon.

Carnival entertainment will include a worm charming contest, chainsaw carving, martial arts, a big classic vehicles display and craft demonstrations. Other attractions will include birds of prey, an annual dog show, dancers, majorettes, basket-making and bee-keeping experts, giant inflatables, rides and a Big Wheel.

Clarabelle, the pantomime cow, will again be taking part in a contest, in which people have to guess where she will leave a special 'deposit' in the arena.

Last year, the carnival raised a record-breaking £11,000. Half of the money gathered in each year goes to the St Mary's Church Fabric Fund, and the remainder goes to charities and other good causes.

This year the East of England Air Ambulance Service will be the main worthy cause benefiting from that share of the proceeds.

To find out more, check out the Carnival website at www.stmarysvillagecarnival.com.