RICHARD BATSON Carnival weekend at Aylsham next month will follow the theme that the town is “blooming marvellous.”

RICHARD BATSON

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Carnival weekend at Aylsham next month will follow the theme that the town is “blooming marvellous.”

The idea is aimed inspiring people taking part in the walking carnival parade on the Saturday evening to make imaginative costumes.

A vehicle-free procession will leave the Bure Valley Railway at 5.30pm on July 7 and head along Norwich Road, Palmers Lane, Mill Road, Cawston Road, Penfold Street into the Market Place, and ending in St Michael's Churchyard.

Awards for five categories - individual, family, group/society, homemade costume and overall - will be presented in the Market Place.

There will be a country fair in the Market Place and Red Lion Street from 5pm, with entertainment including the Suffolk School of Samba, Falconers Marching Band, In Motion Majorettes and Attention To Detail, as well as the town's own X Factor-style competition.

Earlier, carnival day begins with a farmers market in the morning and a quality craft market in the Town Hall between 9am and 2pm.

Throughout the day there will be an archive exhibition in the Green Room at the town hall, where between 3.30pm and 4.30pm there will be a teddy bear's picnic for the under fives. Places for this free children's event are strictly limited and tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis, and parents or carers must remain with their children during the picnic.

The following day, Sunday July 8, begins with a photographic treasure hunt starting at 12 noon, followed by an afternoon of family fun and games at the recreation ground from 2pm.

There will be a country fair together with musical entertainment from Hoofbeat and Attention To Detail. Arena displays include performances from the Sutton School of Dancing. For children there will be a penalty shoot out competition together with a range of traditional family sports and races.

Other entertainment includes Mr and Mrs Jugglefun with their circus skills, and Dave Doughnut with his Punch and Judy show.

There will also be a repeat of Aylsham's ancient “jingling match”, a kind of blind man's buff chasing a person with a bell on their hat - with last year's winners from the Black Boys seeking to retain their title.

In the week leading up to carnival the town is staging its Hunt Sidney Snail competition, with entry forms available from local traders or from the town council office from Friday June 29.

Children will also be able to take part in the Blooming Marvellous Cress Growing competition, which will be judged on the Sunday at 3pm on “rec”, with seeds available at £1 a packet from the town council office.

Local charities or organisations wanting to book stalls, people wanting tickets for the teddy bears picnic, or teams of up to seven wanting to enter the jingling match, should contact Annette Palmer on 01263 733354.