Thousands of eager visitors lined Portishead’s streets at the weekend to enjoy this year’s ‘wonderful’ carnival.
The High Street was packed with people watching the colourful procession make its way from the Lake Grounds down to the flower show field on Saturday.
Some inspired creations were on display with the community category won by Gordano Breakfast Rotary Club, while St Joseph’s School’s Gulliver’s Travels theme came out on top in the walking and mounted section.
There were also first place prizes for Portishead Youth Centre, Harbourside WI and High Down School for their impressive efforts.
St Peter’s School was named the carnival’s supreme champion with its Commotion in the Ocean display.
Organisers Jemma Cooper and Wendy Watkins, who have put on the carnival for the past 20 years, have thanked the community for its help after the main sponsor pulled out just weeks before the event.
They said: “It was a wonderful day and the procession was fantastic.
“We had lots of very imaginative and unique themes and people really had gone all out to impress.
“Our judges had a hard job deciding the winners and it was a hard fought battle to see whose names would be engraved on the trophies this year.
“We really are so grateful to the whole community for the support it has shown us this year and also to all the businesses and organisations that stepped in to help after we lost our sponsor.
“We are very lucky to live in such a wonderful community.”
Once the procession reached the flower show field visitors were treated to a ‘brilliant’ atmoshpere for the rest of the day despite some wet weather.
Bands and DJs played to a bustling crowd which was also able to enjoy a fairground, beer tent and food.
Jemma and Wendy added: “The atmosphere on the field was brilliant, as always, and even a few showers could not dampen anyone’s spirits.
“Our four bands did a cracking job keeping the crowd entertained and our DJs in the beer tent played an incredible set.
“It was a great party.”
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