CHANGES have been made to this year’s Felixstowe Carnival – to try to boost the numbers attending the main arena events.

More than 20,000 people annually line the resort’s streets to enjoy the procession, but the events in Langer Park are not always well attended.

Last year was particularly disappointing with crowds for the music, funfair and other activities being the lowest for many years.

Carnival chairman Nick Barber said the committee had been concerned and looked at a number of ways to increase attendance at the park and decided moving the parade to an earlier time – 1pm – would help.

“It’s a suck-it-and-see situation really. We knew we needed to try something and we thought we would see whether making the procession earlier would make a difference,” he said.

“People tend to start lining up very early on the day in Colneis Road – sometimes from 9am. For the children involved it can be a very long day and by the time the procession has reached the park it can be around 5.30pm.

“Then people go home to change, get tea and so on, and then we find they don’t come back – whether they are too tired, or start watching TV, or doing something else we don’t know.

“Starting the procession earlier will get people to the park earlier and hopefully they will stay and enjoy the attractions.”

The cost has been reduced, too, on the Saturday – adults �2 and children �1 – and both days accompanied children under 12 are free.

The carnival, which has the theme ‘Imagination’ for its big procession, takes place on August 18 and 19.

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