Aylsham’s Blooming Marvellous will be the theme for this year’s Carnival, which will be held on Saturday 7th July, with family fun and games on Sunday 8th July.

Carnival Day will commence with a Farmers Market in the morning and a quality craft market in the Town Hall between 9am and 2pm. A wide and varied range of crafts will be available including woodturning, jewellery, engraving, spinning and knitwear.

Throughout the day the ever popular Archive Exhibition will be held in the Green Room with many photographs on display. In the Town Hall between 3.30pm and 4.30pm there will be a Teddy Bear’s picnic for Aylsham’s younger residents who are under the age of 5. Places for this free event are strictly limited and tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Parents or carers must remain with their children during the picnic. Dave Doughnut with his Punch & Judy Show will also be in the Town Hall during the evening. Throughout the day refreshments will be available in the Town Hall.

The Carnival Procession will be a vehicle free walking pace parade leaving Bure Valley Railway at 5.30pm and progressing along Norwich Road, Palmers Lane, Mill Road, Cawston Road, Penfold Street into Market Place. The procession is open to individuals, families, groups, clubs and societies. The Blooming Marvellous theme provides an endless opportunity for participants to use their imagination. The procession will finish in St Michael’s Churchayrd. Trophies will be presented in the Market Place. Judging will be split into five categories: individual, family, group/society, best homemade costume and the overall Judges Trophy.

There will be a country fayre in the Market Place and Red Lion Street from 5pm. The Suffolk School of Samba, The Falconers Marching Band, In Motion Majorettes and Attention To Detail will provide entertainment throughout the evening. We shall also be holding our own ‘X’ Factor style competition.

On Sunday 8th July the Carnival continues with a photographic treasure hunt starting at 12 noon. The fun at the Recreation Ground will commence at 2pm. There will be a country fayre together with musical entertainment from Hoofbeat and Attention To Detail. Various displays will be shown in the Arena including performances from the Sutton School of Dancing. For children there will be a penalty shoot out competition together with a range of traditional family sports and races.

Mr and Mrs Jugglefun will be with us all afternoon giving everyone the opportunity to practice their circus skills. Dave Doughnut with his Punch and Judy Show will also be there.

Last year, we successfully revived Aylsham’s Ancient Jingling Match. Last years winners from the Black Boys are looking forward to the challenge of retaining their title! Are there any teams out there to take them on?

The Carnival will come to a close at 5pm with the presentation of prizes.

In the week leading up to Carnival we will again be running our successful Hunt Sidney Snail competition. Entry forms will be available from local traders or from the Town Council office from Friday 29th June 2007. Children will also be able to participate in our Blooming Marvellous Cress Growing competition, which will be judged on Sunday 8th July at 3pm on the Recreation Ground. The Cress takes approximately 7 days to grow and cress seeds are now available at £1.00 per packet from the Town Council office.

The Cittaslow Community Events Committee would like to take the opportunity to thank all our sponsors this year who include Aylsham Churches Together, Aylsham Traders Association, Norfolk Homes, Hood Vores & Allwood Solicitors, Hopkins Homes, TOPS Estate Agents and Roger Crouch of Burebank Books and J Christian Jewellers.

If you are a local charity or organisation and wish to book a stall at either of the country fayres please contact Annette Palmer on 01263 733354. This is also the telephone number for teams of up to 7 people wishing to enter the Jingling Match or for tickets to the Teddy Bears Picnic.

All details are correct as at 7th June 2007, but the programme may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.