GET set for Astwood Bank Carnival which takes over the village’s streets on Saturday (July 9) with a packed programme of fun and entertainment.
However the weekend kicks off on Friday evening (July 8) with a horse racing night from 7.30pm in the Carnival tent on the field at SE Davis in Edgioake Lane, Astwood Bank.
There will be a fully licensed bar and snacks from the Little India restaurant, while live music will be provided by electro-acoustic combo Wychwood.
Saturday dawns with judging of the best dressed properties with prizes donated by GreenMech for both the best dressed house and business.
Hundreds of people will then congregate on the carnival field at SE Davis, Ridgeway Academy, and at Astwood Bank First school where they will be getting ready to join the procession of lorry floats, walking groups and marching bands.
With fifteen floats already entered and more expected, everyone will be in a great mood as they are joined by a Samba band, the Rubery Youth Marching Band, the Redditch & Bromsgrove Air Cadets, and the Birmingham Irish Pipes and Drums.
With a theme this year of Time Travellers there are bound to be a wide variety of decorated floats and groups. The procession starts from SE Davis’ yard at noon and will wind its way around the bunting laden streets of Astwood Bank.
With thousands of people supporting the event everyone is encouraged to place any change they have in the dozens of collecting buckets along the route.
The procession is expected to take just under two hours and returns to the Carnival field where a wide range of activities will be available for the crowds to enjoy. One of the first events to take place in the arena will be the crowning of the Carnival Royalty. This year Carnival Queen is Jessica Davies age 15, with her Carnival Princesses: Anna Smith age 12 and Sophia Lightfoot age eight.
A packed entertainment programme includes The Xtreme Stunt Team, a very informal dog show, fun fair, rifle shooting range, children games, a photographer taking shots of dogs, tombolas, and a wide variety of stalls selling plants, cakes, and sweets.
In the beer tent live music will be provided by Black Tie, while Astwood Bank Operatic Society will be manning the tea tent.
