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| Diss Carnival 2008 | Sponsored by:  |
Roll up! Roll up! Diss is ready to carnival crazy.
For the first time since 2001, a carnival procession will wend its way through the streets of Diss as part of the town carnival on Sunday, June 22.
Businesses, youth organisations, community groups and individuals are all being urged to join the fun to ensure the carnival's return is a massive success.
The aim of the carnival is to pull the community of Diss together, while showing off the town’s unique charms to a wider audience.
Hopes are high that the event will become a week-long festival of all that is good about Diss, but for the first year organisers are concentrating on making it a memorable weekend.
Proms in the Park, organised by Diss Rotary Club, kicks-off Carnival Weekend in style in Diss Park on Saturday, June 21, with other events planned throughout the day.
Sunday’s main event is the procession of floats but there will also be musical entertainment, children’s races, displays and stalls among many other attractions.
The float procession route starts and finishes at Diss Town Football Club’s Brewers Green Lane ground and travels through town via Roydon Road, St Nicholas Street, Pump Hill, Mere Street, Park Road, Denmark Street and back along Roydon Road.
Council car parks will be open and there will be additional parking available at Gaze’s auction rooms, Roydon Road.
Entry forms for the floats and stalls are available from Diss Town Council office, Market Hill; the Tourist Information Centre, Mere Street; and the Diss Express office.
Sunday’s musical concert has seen rock star Rick Wakeman offer to help organise some of the groups on show.
East Anglia Air Ambulance and the Diss Christmas Lights Appeal will benefit from the profits of the carnival.
Star of the show will be the Carnival Queen, who will be selected by a panel of judges at a disco evening at the Park Hotel on Friday, April 18. She will travel in style on carnival day in a horse an carriage with her two attendants. The queen will also win a hair do, a manicure and the use of a new car for a weekend, among other prizes. The queen and her attendants will also get to wear specially made gowns from Mystique.
The competition to find the 2008 Carnival Queen and her attendants is being run in the Diss Express and entry forms are available in the newspaper.
Other attractions include a visit by Radio Broadland, a traction engine from Bressingham Steam Museum, balloon modelling, face painting and stilt walkers.
Diss Rugby Club has offered its services for a tug-of-war challenge and the Black Belt Academy has said members will do a display.
A dog rescue team has offered to hold a demonstration in the Mere, while several bands are keen to take part in the grand parade of floats and Diss Army Cadets have also offered their support.
Carnival co-ordinator Jane Trippett-Jones said: "We're hoping to arrange for a samba band to take part and the South Norfolk Symphonic Youth Band are also keen to play."
It is hoped the Royal Marines will have a presence on the day, while the fire and police services have also expressed a wish to be part of the day's activities.
Primary schools in and around Diss have been invited to enter a poster competition and there will also be a fancy dress contest on the day of the procession.
As a community event, everyone is welcome to get involved both in organising and publicising the event and on the day. Anyone can attend the next carnival committee meeting on Thursday, April 3, in the Council Chambers at Diss Corn Hall, 7.15pm.
Take all your ideas, suggestions and offers of help along.
"Everything is starting to come together and we are delighted with the offers of help which are coming in," said Ms Trippett-Jones.
"There are still plenty of opportunities for more people to get involved in the organisation of this major event, and letters have been circulated explaining what we need and how to enter floats and stalls."
Sponsors are needed for various parts of the carnival weekend, including float and fancy dress prizes. Contact Ms Trippett-Jones with any offers, 01379 652352 or email jtrippettjones@aol.com
To advertise in the carnival programme, contact Ron Raisey, 01379 658006.
For more details about the carnival weekend, contact Jane Trippett-Jones, 01379 652352, by email jtrippettjones@aol.com or town clerk Deborah Sarson at Diss Town Council, 01379 643848, email towncouncil@diss.gov.uk