Town carnival returns to celebrate Dunmow Through the Ages

The Real Swing Band (Image: Archant)

The programme will go through the doors of 6,000 homes in Dunmow and the surrounding villages. This year, as well as the fun in the Recreation Ground, there will be The Rhythm and Balls Circus Club demonstrations. As well as putting on a show, they will be giving lessons in circus skills.

The carnival likes to boast that it is one of the biggest, and best in Essex. It will begin with a procession through the town including a float with the Carnival Court, with the queen, Her Majesty, Katie Salmon and her princesses, their Royal Highnesses, Meghan Hunt and Elizabeth Salmon and their stand-in Ruby Noble. Together, they have attended several other Carnivals’ throughout the county as part of their duties.

Carnival contests include the Rebel Strength Essex Strongman competition in Field two, the next field over towards the church from the main arena field. This is the third year of the competition. There will be two categories this year in the morning, novice and intermediate with a final in the afternoon. Events include a tug of war from 2pm. The head referee is the nine times World’s Strongest Man Finalist Terry Hollands.

This year’s musical entertainment will be supplied by The Real Swing Band, a 13 piece from South Essex who perform classic songs with a nod to Michael Buble and Robbie Williams and the original “Rat Pack” performers like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Junior. Also the singer Tia and DJ Paul Table who has worked on Radio London and boasts one of the best vinyl collections of any person alive.

Tia will sing at the carnival (Image: Archant)

There will also be school bands including the Helena Romanes School Rock Band and the choir from St Mary’s Primary School. There will also be the Scene II Theatre School and the Rascals Theatre School. Dunmow Primary School will present a gymnastic display and there will be belly dancing from the Hawi School of Middle Eastern Belly Dance.

Notting Hill, Rio, Great Dunmow, the word is out there.

Order of Events 2017

Little Chix (Image: Archant)

Noon Recreation Ground opens

1pm Procession starts from the Angel and Harp and goes through the town from Market Place along the High Street, Braintree Road and St Edmunds Lane back to the Angel and Harp

2pm Fusion Dance Company and Rebel Strength Tug of War in field 2

2.15pm Belly Dancing Demonstration

There will be a display of belly dancing (Image: Archant)

2.30pm Dunmow Majorettes

2.45pm The Mayor of Great Dunmow, the carnival court and the visiting carnival queens are introduced to the town

3.20pm Children from St Mary’s Primary School

3.35pm Children from Great Dunmow Primary School

3.50pm Scene II Theatre School

4.20pm Dunmow Kyokushinkai Karate Club display

The FREE Evening Concert

4.45pm Helena Romanes Band

5.30pm The Real Swing Band

6.30pm Tia

7pm Little Chix Tribute to Little Mix

8pm Grand Fireworks Display

8.10pm DJ Paul Table party set

8.30pm Just the way to Mars tribute to Bruno Mars

10pm Close