THE streets of Holsworthy will come alive on Saturday, November 16, as this year’s carnival rolls in to town.

Holsworthy Carnival committee chair Ted England said: “It gives me great pleasure as the chairman of the carnival committee, on behalf of the committee to extend a warm welcome to everyone attending this year’s annual carnival celebrations.

“There will be floats, music, lights and of course the funfair! The annual winter carnival is a showcase of Holsworthy’s community spirit, something which is the envy of many towns in our area.”

This year the carnival held a new competition to design the carnival program cover, which was run by Holsworthy Primary School.

There were a lot of entries at a high standard and the judges had a real challenge choosing the artwork to be used. Evey Clark was this year’s winner.

The route and timings for the carnival procession are the same as every year. The procession of carnival floats and vehicles will leave Holsworthy Industrial Estate at 7.15pm and, when they reach Holsworthy Football Club, all the walking members of the procession will join the floats and set off towards the town centre. This will be at approximately 7.30pm.

At the head of the procession will be this year’s carnival queen. This year’s queen is following in the footsteps of her two aunts who have previously been carnival queen.

Yasmin Greenaway, who is 12 years old and has lived in Holsworthy all her life, is the eldest of four, with one sister and two brothers. She attends Holsworthy Community College and her interests and hobbies include playing rugby for the girls’ team at school and her latest hobby is banger racing.

She said: “I may not be the fastest on the track but I still love doing it, I will speed up one day.”

The crowning of the carnival queen and princess will take place before the procession starts on the balcony of the White Hart Hotel, in Fore Street, at 7pm, and will be followed by a display from a Samba band in the Square at 7.10pm.

The 2018 carnival princess is eight-year-old Jamie Knight, who attends Holsworthy Primary School. Her hobbies include bike riding, cooking and spending time with her family and friends.

Jamie replaces Paige Chidley as this year’s carnival princess. Paige very much enjoyed being princess for the last year and said: “I got to spend a lot of time with my two friends Leyla Prouse and Evie Clarke as they were my attendants. I loved my princess dress that I chose and my amazing float that I designed.

“I will miss being carnival princess and I hope the new princess enjoys representing Holsworthy and I will look forward to seeing her and her beautiful float.”

The classes for this year’s carnival are as follows:  Classes to register at Holsworthy Industrial Estate (from 5pm) — Best royal tableau; Best royal car; Children’s tableau float (organisations); Children’s tableau float (non-organisations); Artistic tableau/float (open); Young Farmers Club; Vintage; Tradesman’s tableau/float (entry fee £15 payable on the night).

Classes to register at Holsworthy Football Club (from 6pm) — Individual under 16 years (walking); Groups under 16 years (walking); Decorated wheeled vehicle (not-motorised); Adults (walking).

As always, and for safety reasons, the carnival necessitates certain road closures on the day. However, it is the carnival committee’s intention to open the roads as soon as possible after the procession has passed through and they do not anticipate all the roads being closed for the entirety of the allotted time.

Check the Holsworthy carnival website or Facebook page for alternative routes, which will be signposted on the evening. 

So, whatever the weather brings on November 16, Holsworthy carnival committee hopes to see the streets of Holsworthy packed with people enjoying this year’s carnival.