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  • "I am delighted to admit - under my own name, not hidden by a false identity - that I am the overall show director of the five free and highly successful carnival festivals that happened on Saturday, which were enjoyed by thousands of people, not one of whom made any kind of negative comment all day. Here is a message to the anonymous, joyless and baleful people who headed up this forum thread- get a life! And don't confuse your personal preferences for boys in shorts and acne ridden carnival queens for what the sheer joy and pleasure that was felt by thousands of cheering spectators all day long, who loved the Bolivian Dancers. Montgomery and Old Heath School, the Fijian Soldiers, the Nepalese Ghurkas, the 150 strong choir and 50 costumed dancers and all the thousand others who were having a great time dressing up and performing for you.

    If you want a different kind of carnival to the one we gave you free of charge and with no compulsion on your part to come and watch it, then please feel free to put one on, just as we did. I am sure that you will make a good job of it. We will even give you help with the risk assessments and the road closures if you want it.
    Just for the record the Scouts were invited and with a few exceptions you might have missed, they did not reply to the invitation(s). The army is not free, but charge a great deal to appear, money which as private individuals we dont have.
    Oh and if you were the person in the crowd who gave me a violent shove in the back for having the temerity to get between him and a leggy Bolivian dancer, please dont do it again. I still have a bruise.

    (grin) Dorian Kelly Carnival Director"
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Thousands line the streets for Colchester Carnival

11:12am Saturday 30th June 2012 in Local news

A carnival dragon in Colchester High Street A carnival dragon in Colchester High Street

THE COLCHESTER Carnival procession enjoyed by thousands.

UPDATED 5.15pm - Thousands lined the sunny streets of Colchester for the carnival procession.

Sports clubs, charities, dancers, businesses and more all joined in and were cheered by the crowds lining the streets.

At some points spectators were five deep as they breathed in the party atmosphere amid a cacophony of sound and colour.

Those near the start of the procession praised the organisers and the participants but many wanted some of the military bands who graced the event many years ago to come back.

UPDATED 3.40pm - Colchester Council's Tim Pickard has been given the honour of leading the carnival. He said: "I am very much looking forward to leading it in my monkey suit. "I did it for the first time last year and thought I would dress up this year.

"I am sure a lot of people will come out and watch and we have the weather we wanted."

UPDATED 3pm - The Colchester Carnival is just one hour away. Dan Woodruff, chairman of the organising committee, said: "I am really excited and everything is going well. "The colour of Colchester is coming out. We are absolutely delighted with the turnout. "We have been planning this since the last carnival finished and are looking forward to showing off the people of Colchester and we are proud to be able to do it."

" We have about 45 floats and 1,000 people taking part." All money raised will go to local charities.

UPDATED 2.30pm - Hopscotch world record attempt has begun in Lower Castle Park. Need 400 to break the record. Organisers getting ready for 4pm carnival procession

Gates opened at Castle Park at 11am for a series of fun family events.

The procession itself begins at 4pm and will run for two hours along Butt Road, Head Street and High Street.

Castle Park will host stalls, a showground and a Hopscotch world record attempt.

There will also be a cultural diversity festival and a fairground in lower Castle Park.

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