The parade which starts at 1.15 pm from the Leeds Road Auction Mart promises to be the biggest and most spectacular for many years and will feature:

11 bands including majorettes; pipe and brass bands; drummers; a steel band; and 2 samba bands one of which consists of 75 youngsters from Prince Henrys and the Whartons and Pool primary schools.

Many floats from a wide range of local organisations will be parading– including all 8 primary schools many of the whose children were so disappointed last year when after all the preparation the event was cancelled due to the flooded field; others include floats from the Otley Sailing Club celebrating their 50^th anniversary; Otley scouts; Irish Dancers; Caley Rainbows; the Footloose Dance School; a Wharfedale hospital float featuring the local MP Greg Mullholland in bed ‘doing something’; cyclist organisations advertising the major national cycle race to be held in Otley on the Thursday following; an advertising float for the forthcoming circus.

In addition there will be Harley Davidson bikes; a Sammy Ledgard bus and another vintage bus; a steam traction engine; a fire engine, an ambulance, together with numerous cars, vans and the Otley Action for older people mini bus.

The parade will be led by the Carnival Queen, Ellen Cartright and her attendants travelling in a 1924 Model T Ford lorry. The Town Mayor will also be up front along with the last year’s Town Mayor who missed out due to the weather!

The parade will lead the crowd following them into the showground at Bridge End where the number of stalls and activities has broken all records as there will be more of them than ever before. The activities will cater for children of all ages (even those over 50!) starting with a fairground with various roundabouts and Punch & Judy for the youngest visitors; through pony rides, inflatables, trampolines and a fun house for the slightly older; to a bungee trampoline, a climbing wall and a paint ball range for the older still. There will also be a wide range of food and drinks available as well as numerous stalls selling a variety of goods.

The Town Mayor, Councillor Jim Spencer will open proceedings followed by the crowning of the Carnival Queen and presentations of float and parade prizes. The central arena will then feature the Foxwood Steel Bandits (with East Steel), a birds of prey show, a display by Guide Dogs for the Blind and a ‘Tail Waggers’ parade.

The Patisserie Viennoise has kindly donated a box of their hand-made chocolates valued at £50 and visitors will be invited to join in a treasure hunt competition to win these delicious chocolates.

Committee members have been joined by representatives of the 4 benefiting charities at a recent Buttercross cake stall and 2 full days selling carnival programmes and tickets for the draw. The three efforts are expected to raise around £700 towards the final total for the charities, which are:

Behind Closed Doors, Otley Courthouse Project, Hawthorn Family Support Centre (Mencap), and Otley Town Junior Football Club.

Carnival programmes are for sale (£1) at several venues throughout the town and together with carnival draw tickets will be on sale in the showground.

The eight winning carnival posters produced by local school children with ages ranging from 4 to 11 are shown in the programme and are also on display at the Courthouse.

Many people play a part in pulling together all the various ingredients of what we are sure will be a successful carnival. The committee members are particularly grateful this year to a local company called fast Track Plant Traffic Management who have agreed to put out and collect the parking cones and pedestrian barriers for the parade route which will save us a great deal of time and effort and the start and end of a very busy day.

Many Otley traders have been busy decorating their shop windows to add colour and atmosphere to the town during the week leading to the carnival. Most have joined in a competition and judges toured round the town last Sunday awarding points for effort, impact and originality. The overall winner was The Wharfe on Kirkgate and shields were also awarded to the best large window – Chevin Trek on Gay Lane, the best medium sized - Silk Sisters on Market Street, and the best small – Cherished, on Market street. The awards and certificates were presented by Wendy Corden, Chairman of the Carnival Committee.

For further information contact: Geoff Wright on 01943-465179