Carnival fever on its way

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COME and join in this year's Ipswich Community Carnival.

The annual extravaganza will see plenty of entertainment on offer at Christchurch Park on Sunday, August 19, from 2pm until 6pm.

The big attraction of the day will be a foot parade, which will leave the lawn in front of Christchurch Mansion at 3pm. Those involved will walk along the main pathway up through the park to the area at the Westerfield Road end.

All the banners, sculptures, pushed floats, music and dance for the parade will be centred around this year's theme, which is Ipswich Alive.

Other fun activities will also be taking place throughout the day, including a football match, face painting, community stalls and salsa dancing as well as refreshments.

Blue King, part of the development group for the carnival, said: “I started the carnival in 2003 with a couple of artists as we felt there was not any central community celebration in Ipswich.

“A group of volunteers now meet every month for a year to organise this event.

“The event celebrates the diversity of the community and shows off the skills of the local people.”

If anyone wants to be involved in the carnival, they can help make something to wear, wave or carry in the parade at one of the artist-led sessions.

The sessions will take place in gallery three of the town hall in Ipswich on Saturday, August 11, and Saturday, August 18, from 10am and 12pm to 1pm and 3pm.

Last year more than 900 people attended the workshops and organisers hope the event will be as popular this year. Admission is free.

The carnival is funded through support from local organisations, including main sponsors Explore and Suffolk Passenger Transport.

For more information, visit www.ipswichcommunitycarnival.org

Do you have a community event you want to tell us about? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.