TAVISTOCK Carnival Week is fast approaching and this year organisers are confident there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

Organised by the Lions Club of Tavistock, on behalf of the community, the week kicks off on Saturday, July 9, culminating with the procession through the streets of Tavistock on the following Saturday.

With the summer Olympic Games being held in Brazil later this year, the Lions Club has chosen the ‘Road to Rio’ as the theme for this year’s carnival. Lion Steve Grummitt said: ‘Mardi Gras in Rio de Janeiro is renowned for its colourful costumes and music from the samba bands and the Lions are hoping that some of these features as well as the Olympic Games will help influence the entries into the carnival.’

The programme for the week includes many old favourites, including the baby show, pavements artists competition and the concert in the church with Stannary Brass, Blowzone and the Tavy Tars, as well as evening talks in the Bedford Hotel by local residents Simon Dell and Kevin Dickens.

The hotel will also be the venue for an ‘Evening of Taste’ on Tuesday evening featuring a selection of wines from local wine merchant Charles Steevenson and ‘bangers and mash‘ prepared by the chefs at the hotel. All events have proved popular in recent years so booking is advised through the reception at the hotel.

Sunday sees the usual ‘Funday in the Meadows’ which this year will include an exciting falconry display as well as the crowning of this year’s Carnival Princess at 3pm and the duck race at 4pm — a new event which proved popular last year.

The Carnival Procession sees a few changes this year as a new route has been devised which will be flatter and shorter making it less tiring for the younger walkers in particular. It will still assemble in Down Road going from there into Abbey Place, turning left into Plymouth Road, right into Russell Street, right into West Street and on through Duke Street turning right into Market Road where it will disperse.

Another change will be in the judging procedure in that the judges will be stationed opposite the Bedford Hotel judging the entries as they pass with the winners of the various classes and Best in Procession being announced at the end with them returning to the square for their awards.

Steve added: ‘It is important to note that because of the change in route, the procession will not be going through the top end of West Street, Ford Street or Plymouth Road from Drake’s Statue to Russell Street so those spectators wishing to see the entrants should come into the town centre so as to avoid disappointment.’

Over the years, the number of motorised floats has diminished due in part to concerns about liability and insurance. In order to address this problem, the club has produced an information sheet which should dispel the myths and rumours about the use of vehicles in the procession and a copy of this will be sent out to all wishing to enter.

The Lions Club has been organising Tavistock’s Carnival for more than 35 years and is anxious that the procession should be a fitting finale to the week’s events. And with added incentives that the club will offer donations from the carnival proceeds to entrants for their organisations, and the change of route, the club is confident that this will be an exciting and colourful year.

Full details of the week’s programme can be found on the club’s website at the website www.tavistocklions.org.uk