PUTTING up the Felixstowe Carnival banner may have stopped the traffic briefly, but organisers hope the event will bring the town centre to a complete standstill next month.

PUTTING up the Felixstowe Carnival banner may have stopped the traffic briefly, but organisers hope the event will bring the town centre to a complete standstill next month.

They say the parade should be one of the longest, brightest and best – jamming the shopping area with floats, bands, and majorettes, and attracting tens of thousands of visitors to the seaside to enjoy the fun.

The Evening Star has this year joined forces with the carnival committee to promote and sponsor the family weekend.

"The carnival is the highlight of the year in Felixstowe and we are delighted to be working with the carnival association," said the Star's Felixstowe editor Richard Cornwell.

"It's an important weekend for the whole town – not just a celebration and a chance to have fun, but vital for businesses, and it brings so many people into the resort see what a great place Felixstowe is to visit.

"It's always a noisy, happy, fun weekend, which brings the town alive – the sort of thing you expect to find at the seaside."

Carnival secretary Richard Stewart welcomed the Star's support for the event.

"It's great to have the Evening Star on board and the more people who become involved with the carnival, the bigger and better we can make it," he said.

"This year we have extended the event to a weekend and are moving the main attractions back to Langer Park, which is something we have wanted to do for a while because it was always such a popular venue.

"Entries are coming in thick and fast for the parade, but there is still room for plenty more, and we have put together a full programme of events for the park."

The carnival, which has the theme music takes place on August 8, 9 and 10.

The procession will be on the Saturday, setting off through the town at 3pm led by carnival queen 17-year-old Kate Devine and her princesses Nikita Hoddy and Samantha Smith, both ten. The cavalcade will end at Langer Park, where there will be a fun fair and live music throughout the afternoon and evening.

Sunday will feature a host of attractions on the park – including the Gunsmoke Wild West Show, Gislingham Silver band, a strongman show, live music and fireworks.

There will also be an aerobatics display over the seafront by an RAF Jaguar fighter, and an air-sea search and rescue display.

n Anyone who would like a procession entry pack should pop into Alford Brothers or Marshall Warren, both in Hamilton Road, or ring 01394 670800.

WEBLINK: www.felixstowecarnival.co.uk