THE 2010 Dunmow Carnival has arrived and this year it is set to be bigger and better than ever.

As organisers complete the final week of preparations, all of them are working their socks off to ensure that everything runs like clockwork on the town’s big day.

Last Sunday saw one team of volunteers install the bunting along the processional route; which could see the largest number of entrants in the carnival’s history.

Organiser and Dunmow town councillor Ron Clover said: “It is a time consuming and labour intensive job and every credit goes out to the team who get up early on Sunday morning to do it.

“The end result is most satisfying, it sends out the message to everyone that the carnival is well and truly on.”

There had been fears that waterworks taking place in the town’s High Street would threaten to ruin the procession but Veolia Three Valleys Water look set to finish their underground work before Saturday comes.

Cllr Clover said: “Carnival Day is the main event of the year. The organisers, like the public, do not know how the individual entrants are going to interpret this year’s theme which is ‘movies’, because it gives a very big scope.

“Despite all the efforts to pre-plan the entries in good time there always seems to be a last minute rush of ‘late comers’, last year’s carnival was the biggest yet – we hope we can beat that this year.”

Entries are higher now then at the same time last year and a late rush is expected with newcomers tagging onto the back.

All entrants will be judged at the Flitch Trading Estate and at Station Road as the procession moves off sharply at 1pm.

Along the route volunteers will be carrying the traditional buckets for children and adults to place their pennies in to support lots of local charitable beneficiaries.

The procession ends at the recreation ground where after the presentation to the winning entries the festivities begin in earnest.

Cllr Clover added: “There is a packed program of events throughout the afternoon, and plenty of bars, food outlets, interesting stalls, and the fun fair of course.

“In the evening get a seat on a bale of hay for a spectacular concert and afterwards a fantastic firework display starting at 8pm.”

Music from Take That tribute act ‘Never Forget’ will continue until around 9pm – everything is free.