Carnival Chair says ‘thank you’ Thame!

CONGRATULATIONS have been flowing in to the new team that organised this year’s Thame Carnival, and the Co-ordinator, Sue Martin Downhill, Chair of Thame4Business, has expressed her gratitude to all concerned.

One of Sue Martin Downhill’s girls (left) enjoying themselves – without her mum – at Saturday’s carnival

The ‘School together’ carnival collected their winners cup from the Deputy
Mayor, Nicola Dixon

The Carnival, themed  ‘the World of Sport & Recreation’, brought families, friends and local sports and activity groups together, to produce a great Carnival and festival fete, on the Southern Road Recreation ground – and the sun shone!

A delighted Sue said: “With the help of some fantastic people of Thame, the Thame Carnival was as successful as I had hoped it would be. It was cool while we were setting up but the sun came out and shone for the rest of the day. 

“The parade was a great sight with a massive effort from all the floats. Congratulations to the combined schools’  float who produced a mass of colour. The steel band brought out the carnival feel and there was plenty of carnival music and noise throughout. Tom MacKriell of Thame Youth Theatre, and his team of marshalls brilliantly tackled the organisation of the order of the parade and keeping the roads clear and safe. Thanks to them, as without all 20 of them there would have been no parade!

“Our MC, Dan Blasor, brought the whole event together and the Dog show had the best turn out of entries ever.

“It was great to see so many sitting out in the sunshine enjoying the beer and Pimms tents and watching the entertainment in the arena and all around the ground. Although I would love to have been able to have spent more time wandering around with my girls,   enjoyed the day thoroughly.”

The Slade Tribute band, Slyde, entertained visitors at the end of the afternoon, with great humour and great memories of the music of other bands like ‘Sweet’ and ‘The Osmonds’ too!

Twitter and facebook followers of the Thame Carnival, like Ian English, who runs the popular Boodlum Band and the newly formed Thame Pop Choir, posted their comments: “Well done Sue and committee for organising an excellent Carnival and making it work so well – it was a great afternoon!”

Thame Firefighter, Mark Nuns, posted on twitter: “Awesome sight seeing a Lancaster Bomber doing a low fly over of Thame!”

Karen Shardlow, Fund-raising Co-ordinator for the Florence Nighingale Hospice Charity, which took part in the carnival parade, posted: “Thank you Thame Carnival! Great fun day! We were all pleased to be a part of it.”

LOADS MORE PICTURES – here from Saturday’s carnival