Crowds set to line the streets for Bridgwater Carnival
Tens of thousands of people are expected to line the streets of Bridgwater this weekend as the UK’s oldest carnival returns.
The Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival, which dates back to 1847, will feature a spectacular illuminated procession of floats, alongside fairground rides, concerts and a fireworks display.
President of Bridgwater Carnival Dave Creedy says "a lot of ideas do come round again, but whoever's doing it is trying to do it differently or bigger and better than the one who previously did a similar thing."
Dave is also part of the tabular which also be putting on a display tonight , he says "that means we stand still for two hours and try not to move at all, as opposed to the ones that are singing and dancing. And we're doing Titanic, or the sinking of".
The parade will set off at around 6:15pm on Saturday (2 November) from the A39 end of Bath Road, finishing on Mount Street at about 7:50pm. The evening will conclude with the town’s traditional squibbing display along the High Street, a centuries-old firework tradition unique to Bridgwater.
Organisers say more than 150,000 people are expected to attend, with road closures beginning from 1pm. Nine official car parks will be open across the town, and Park and Ride services will run from junctions 23 and 24 of the M5 between 2pm and 11:30pm.
Dave says "it is a spectacle. If nobody's ever been, they need to come and see it because it is unique. "
The event will go ahead whatever the weather, with forecasts predicting a bright but chilly evening, with highs of around 14°C and lows near 8°C.
The carnival is one of Somerset’s biggest annual events, raising thousands of pounds each year for local charities and community groups.