Belinda Bennett provides a round-up of South West illuminated carnivals
HONITON and District Carnival will be rightly proud of this year's full colour glossy programme, just back from the printer's.
It's packed with information about this year's carnival events and offers an encyclopaedic photo gallery of carnivals local 'greats'.
Featured are Nymphos CC (half page picture spread), Nunsford Nutters CC, Sid Vale CC, Phoenix CC, Honiton Twirlstars, Domino CC, DT6 (RIP), Seaton Fire and Ice, Honiton Pantomime Society, Club 2000, Rascals JCC, Hillside Garage, Seaton Explorer Scouts and Brimgrovers JCC.
Honiton's carnival royalty grace the front cover. and there's a cash prize for the person who buys the programme with the 'lucky number'.
Programmes will be on sale soon, priced £1. Watch this space for further information. To order advance copies, call carnival chairman Bill Austin on (01404) 42254.
FINISHED or not, this year's carnival entries will go on the road tomorrow (Saturday) for the traditional curtain call for the East Devon circuit in Seaton.
A number of clubs have reported their entries will not quite be up to 'finished' standard, but will take to the road anyway. Points mean prizes in the circuit competition! As many as 20 points can be lost if entries fail to make the opening line-up.
Your Herald and Carnival Capers will be there.
After all the secrecy surrounding themes, the lid will be lifted and the new season's 'greats' ready to emerge.
Clubs stand by for a visit from Carnival Capers in the line-up.
SIMPLY Chocolate, in Cross Street, Seaton, has taken first prize in the resort's carnival window dressing competition.
Town clerk Philip Higginson judged the contest.
Shop owner Jane Sherwood has been presented with a trophy for her sterling effort.
THEY were the victors in their class on the circuit last year and now Jess and Rosa Batten-Stevens are preparing to entertain carnival-goers again. The walking pair sensations are aged just eight and 10, but were last year winners of nine first prizes and the overall best East Devon Pair. This year's costumes, a closely guarded secret, will be revealed in Topsham before the traditional carnival curtain call in Seaton on Saturday (August 30). Dedicated Jess and Rosa, from Ottery St Mary, have worked tirelessly over the summer holidays, getting sponsors to support their chosen charity - The Colour of Hope, a British registered charity founded by their aunty, Amy New. The Colour of Hope works with young and disadvantaged Peruvian families, especially those with small children, helping them to improve living conditions and find dignified employment. You can support Rosa and Jess by giving them a big wave at carnival 2008 and, if you would like to support them in their very worthwhile fundraising efforts, contact The Colour of Hope directly on 01404 814867 or info@thecolourofhope.org. To find out more about the charity's work please take a look at their blogsite at http://thecolourofhope.blogspot.com/
THEY were the victors in their class on the circuit last year and now Jess and Rosa Batten-Stevens are preparing to entertain carnival-goers again.
The walking pair sensations are aged just eight and 10, but were last year winners of nine first prizes and the overall best East Devon Pair.
This year's costumes, a closely guarded secret, will be revealed in Topsham before the traditional carnival curtain call in Seaton on Saturday (August 30).
Dedicated Jess and Rosa, from Ottery St Mary, have worked tirelessly over the summer holidays, getting sponsors to support their chosen charity - The Colour of Hope, a British registered charity founded by their aunty, Amy New.
The Colour of Hope works with young and disadvantaged Peruvian families, especially those with small children, helping them to improve living conditions and find dignified employment.
You can support Rosa and Jess by giving them a big wave at carnival 2008 and, if you would like to support them in their very worthwhile fundraising efforts, contact The Colour of Hope directly on 01404 814867 or info@thecolourofhope.org. To find out more about the charity's work please take a look at their blogsite at http://thecolourofhope.blogspot.com/
The president of Seaton Carnival Committee, Barbara Dearden-Potter, has resigned over a £1,000 donation from Tesco.Mrs Dearden-Potter announced her resignation as the supermarket giant was due to present a cheque to carnival committee members outside Seaton Town Hall today (Friday).She told the Herald: "I wish it to be known that I have tendered my resignation as president due to the committee's acceptance of £1,000 donation from Tesco."I have told the chairman that I feel it is inappropriate at this sensitive time for the town and that I cannot, in all honest, be associated with what I see as a bribe."Tesco has bought part of the Seaton redevelopment site and hopes to be able to build a supermarket in the resort on a different site, as part of a regeneration scheme.
Seaton - August 30
Sidmouth - September 6
Colyton - September 13
Axminster - September 20
Newton Poppleford - September 27
Exmouth - October 11
Honiton - October 25
Ottery St Mary November 1
CLUBS doing 'the circuit' in East Devon this year are asked to contact the Herald with entry details.
We realise the secrecy surrounding entries until Seaton, the traditional curtain call, and request information is supplied AFTER that event. The next day, via email, would be great!!!
Names of club members and their roles - everything from road crew to costume makers. Background information on themes - anything and everything you can think of.
I'll try to do some video interviews in the line-up at Seaton. Watch out for me.
Email your information to me - belinda.bennett@archant.co.uk
The action starts on Friday, August 22. Here's a message for carnivalites from chairman Peter Burrows...
SEATON Carnival first took place in 1895 and I am sure they had no trouble with risk assessment and insurance then. The modern carnival has been running since 1965 and the committee this year has endeavoured to put more events on during the week than ever before. The ever popular dog show is back on procession day (Saturday, August 30) at Windsor Gardens at 11am with the children's pavement artist competition taking place on Saturday, August 23. Also on Saturday are pebble painting, children's fancy dress, face painting, majorettes, samba band and much more. Variety night on Friday, August 29, brings us Mary Bowles and comedian Tank Sherman, so get your tickets early to avoid disappointment. Mary is also presenting an Old Tyme Music Hall evening this Friday, August 22. The committee is indebted to the work Roger and Marilyn Woolland have put in over the years and we hope that future carnivals will reflect this and that people will come to Seaton and go away with the memory that this seaside town can certainly put on a show.
My biggest thank you goes to the businesses in Seaton who are supporting this programme when we know times are hard and the carnival costs go up year on year.
Peter Burrows - Chairman