WITH just a month to go to Felixstowe's biggest event of the year, preparations are in full swing to celebrate its 75th anniversary.Felixstowe Carnival - supported by the Evening Star - has enjoyed a huge revival over the past few years and is now one of the biggest in the region, boasting a lengthy and extravagant parade and a packed weekend of events in Langer Park.

WITH just two weeks to go to Felixstowe's biggest event of the year, preparations are in full swing to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Felixstowe Carnival - supported by the Evening Star - has enjoyed a huge revival over the past few years and is now one of the biggest in the region, boasting a lengthy and extravagant parade and a packed weekend of events in Langer Park.

It takes place from August 10 to August 12 and organisers have now announced details of the main attractions - including leading Queen tribute band The Bohemians, The Glambusters, Beatles' tribute Words and Music, and a new children's entertainment area.

The Royal Court has been chosen and the new Carnival Queen is 16-year-old Jeyda Yilmz , who has two princesses - Ela Merry, ten, who attends Hurst Drive School, Waltham Cross, and Rachael Ray, seven, who attends Trimley St Mary Primary School - and a prince, Nathan Chapman, six, a pupil at Maidstone Infants School.

They will lead the parade - which has the theme Mardi Gras - on Saturday, August 11.

Carnival secretary Sandie Doran said: “We have made some changes following comments we received last year from the public and we hope these will work well.

“There will not be an air show this time and instead we will be concentrating on the park.

“Last year parents felt there was not enough for children to do apart from the funfair so this time we are having an entertainment area for the children with seven inflatables, such as a funcastle, funslide, and Energy Zone.

“There will also be a games arena, which includes games such as giant Connect 4, Jenga, Twister, noughts and crosses, quoits, skittles, ludo, dominoes, snakes and ladders, hopscotch, horseshoe toss, chess, limbo, wobbleboard, draughts, and croquet.

“There will also be a Punch and Judy show and a magic show at various times during the afternoons.”

Mrs Doran said the carnival still needed sponsorship from businesses and organisations to help with the cost of running the event, which raises money for charity.

“I think many people think the carnival is funded by the council, which it is not, and just happens,” she said.

“But it is run by a team of volunteers and can only happen if businesses give generously to help with the cost of putting on the entertainment.

“We are very grateful to those who do help us, but there are many more which could help, including some of the biggest companies in our community who do not contribute at the moment.”

Entrance to the park will be £3 per adult and £1 for children over six-years-old. Family tickets (two adults and two children) will cost £5 for one day. All tickets are available from the Tourist Information Centre, Undercliff Road West, Felixstowe.

FASTFACTS: Felixstowe Carnival 2007 highlights

Funfair will run in Langer Park all weekend.

Procession will set off at 3pm on Saturday, August 11.

Attractions in Langer Park will include Caribbean Steel Band, Elvis tribute Jade Adams, Queen tribute The Bohemians, The Glambusters, Tyler Kemp Plus One's Sentimental Journey World War Two Experience, and Badness.

A huge fireworks display will round off the weekend.