Carnival 2004 - Fantasy
News - Focus, June 2004
Long Live the Carnival Queen (and friends)
On Sunday the 25th of April in the Eaton Bray Village Hall, we had the selection of the Carnival Queen from amongst a group of village girls who numbered just under 20. The names were placed in a "hat" and that of Catherine Allen, 10, was drawn to be the St Mary's Village Carnival Queen for this year. She was followed by Emily Tickell, 7, who was chosen as the Carnival Princess, and Gemma Johnson, 9, and Harriet Owen, 9, became their Attendants.
As usual, on Carnival Day, the 3rd of July, these four young ladies will lead the Carnival Procession from The Orchards in Eaton Bray to Edlesborough Green in a horse-drawn carriage from Honeywick Carriages of Eaton Bray. They will be dressed for the occasion and their gowns will be from Confetti Bridalwear of Tring. Their hair will be styled by Chick's Crop Shop of Dunstable and their flowers will come from Edlesborough's Village Flower Shop. As usual they will make a "right royal" vanguard for the procession with all its floats and marchers.
When the Procession arrives at the Green in Edlesborough, there will be an opening ceremony in which the Carnival Queen will cut a ribbon and local personality, Dr Martyn Jones of Eaton Bray, will declare the Carnival open. From then on the Carnival will be in full swing.
As you will undoubtedly have noticed, the Carnival theme is Fantasy and we are encouraging the wearing of costume both for those manning stalls and for the attendees. Fantasy is open to so many interpretations and all of your inspirations will be welcomed. We hope to see pixies and elves galore, wizards and Gollums, some King Arthurs perhaps (Kings Arthur?) and, of course, Guineveres - even a dragon or two. Come one, come all! On the day, spotters will be passing among you and will give citations to costumes that are particularly fine. All are invited to come to the arena in the mid afternoon for a judging and there will be a winner chosen by our official opener, Dr Jones.
Also in preparation is the Dog Show which has been a feature of the Carnival for a number of years now. Its organizer, Chris Oxtoby, has laid out a program of 5 pedigree classes and a similar number of what are called novelty classes which are open to any dog whether pure bred or not. A known Kennel Club judge is being sought to perform the judging and the show has KC recognition. In the pedigree section there will be classes for (Any Variety) Puppy, Sporting and Non-sporting breeds. There are also Open and Junior Handler classes. The novelty classes will include: Any Veteran; Prettiest Bitch; Handsomest Dog; Waggliest Tail; Any Dog living within Five Miles; and The Dog the Judge would most like to take Home. Registration will begin around 10:30 and the judging starts at Noon. If you wish to get information about how to enter, please contact Chris Oxtoby.
The Classic Cars will again be part of the Carnival with a range of vehicles that will run the gamut from the Austin 7 to the E-type, predominantly exhibited by owner/restorers. Given the rural nature of the villages, it is also hoped to have some tractors and static engines to demonstrate how farming used to be. Also there is an opportunity for displaying motor bikes of classic marques, with Harley Davidson as the big name. There will be a grand parade of all mobile vehicles through the arena in the course of the afternoon. For information or to register, contact David Marriage.
We must not lose sight of the two purposes of the Carnival: to raise money for charity and local good causes; and to have fun. We think we can guarantee the second objective and in doing so we hope to cover the first. The principal good cause is contributing to the future of the Eaton Bray Village Hall. The Hall, built in 1964, no longer meets the needs, current and future, of the Eaton Bray and Edlesborough community, and it is in desperate need of renovation in order to comply with Health and Safety and Child Protection legislation. The hall is central to our community and is used for many activities such as: Eaton Bray pre-school; Edlesbray Players; keep-fit; badminton; line dancing; plays by Front Row; not forgetting, of course, the private functions by many local organisations.
The refurbishment programme is planned across four phases, subject to funding. Total expenditure is anticipated to be around £300,000 and the help and support of the Carnival will contribute towards this.
See you at the Carnival on the 3rd of July on Edlesborough Green.
© Focus Magazine 2004
