New-look carnival parade attracts 800

2:19pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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CARNIVAL organisers are hailing the town’s new-style parade as a great success.

More than 800 people took part in Saturday’s Congleton Carnival procession, which has returned to the town centre.

The procession was the first walking parade in the carnival’s history, and featured dozens of local organisations, businesses and schools decked out in colourful costumes.

The celebrations were dubbed the Blooming Big Green Carnival, and the aim was to involve as many people as possible in a mardi gras-style parade.

Samba and jazz bands performed in the procession, which wound its way through the town centre to the park past packed crowds in Bridge Street.

“Everyone really enjoyed the parade, and some of the costumes were absolutely fantastic,” said Janet Etridge, who organised the procession with Ros Peach.

“An awful lot of children took part in the parade, which was a great success.”

Carnival committee chairman Rod Goodier said he had received very positive feedback from people watching the parade.

“People’s attitudes to the carnival are changing, and we cannot live in the past,” he said.

“The aim was to get more young people involved, which we did.”

Mr Goodier said preliminary results showed the street collection had raised about £1,700.

He praised the sum raised, particularly in the light of the current economic downturn.

He also praised the “first class entertainment” provided by the tribute acts who performed at Party in the Park on Saturday evening, which he said attracted an audience of about 1,000 people.