Carnival – the Thame way!

ON what was a perfect summer’s day, the community of Thame came together on Saturday, June 9, for one of the highlights of summer fun and fund-raising, the annual Carnival.

From Elms Park, to the Southern Road Recreation Ground, the Carnival parade of local groups, clubs, schools and organisations paraded through the town to celebrate, in the most diverse interpretations of this year’s Carnival theme, Countryside!

Fire engines, Medics, motorcycles, classic cars, stilt-walkers, children and adults dressed as ants, flowers, a giant caterpillar, characters from ‘The Achers’, Bees and bee-keepers, flowers and French onion-sellers, farmers, and Tour de France cyclists, all contributed to one of the most colourful Carnival parades of recent years.

The fete that followed was buzzing with happy families and visitors from as far a way as South Africa, enjoying those activities that make a typical English fete; biscuit decorating, tombolas, egg throwing, a rowing challenge, cake stalls, Pimm’s tent, bar, a Firefighters’ fitness race, dancing demonstrations and even a champagne hunt. On the stage, young members of Thame Music Academy were able to experience playing live in front of a live audience, many of the very young, for the first time.

The whole afternoon was very ably overseen by MC Dan Blaze, DJ, Entertainer and currently the host of the Breakfast programme on Red Kite Radio. A host of volunteers, from road marshals to marketing, setting up and clearing up at the end, were co-ordinated by Sue Martin-Downhill, based at Racequets Fitness Centre, and currently the Chair of 21st Century Thame – the organisation behind the Carnival (with Thame Town Council), Thame Tidy Day, the founding of Thame Food Festival – much praised in the Mayor, Anne Midwinter’s opening speech, for the work it does. She then presented the Carnival entry winner, St Joseph’s School, with the much coveted Carnival Cup.

To see pictures from the day, visit the Thame.Net Flickr link HERE (Enjoy the pictures and please, respect the Thame.net copyright. If you would like copies of any of the images, contact: editor@thame.net   – MORE PICTURES – Thame Carnival facebook page LINK HERE