I was looking forward to the Carnival, because rumour had it that over 50 carnival floats would be taking part, the biggest in years, so it boded well for the afternoon. The weather did not look too good, but I didn’t believe it would put off the crowds. I joined Richard Benyon, MP and Jenny Moorcroft, Deputy Junior Mayor, outside Café Nero in Bartholomew Street where we would get a bird’s eye view of the procession. We would be better able to judge the floats from there.
The procession was led by a convoy of motorcycles from the Oxford Chapter of Harley-Davidsons. The noise was deafening, they were followed by the Town Crier. The cavalcade was a mixture of floats with a variety of themes from Pirates (and there was a motley collection of them) to Alice in Wonderland, Willy Wonka, 101 Dalmatians and a contingent of foot soldiers from the civil war of 1643. There were some gorgeous costumes, including characters from the Wizard of Oz, Wallace and Gromit and an assortment of costumes from the Town Council staff.
There were also Scottish Pipers, drum majorettes and a couple of stilt walkers. The town was full of colours, noise and lots of people.
The marking was impossible and we were not allowed to confer and the sheets were taken off us when the last float passed. We joined the end of the procession up Northbrook Street, along London Road and into Park Way, where the floats emptied of the participants. We then went into a packed Victoria Park. I have never seen it so full. Most surrounded the enclosure and the stage where the majorettes were performing their acts. We conferred to judge the best costumes and eventually chose the Wizard of Oz characters. They were very special. As to the overall winners, there was little doubt about the winners; the 101 Dalmatians were really gorgeous. I loved those black & white wigs – must get one!
This years carnival was really the best for years with over 800 people there. Bryan Harper and his team did a splendid job as did the volunteers who drove the vehicle floats, acted as stewards, and friends who made the costumes. If this year’s carnival is the beginning of large and exotic floats, I am really looking forward to next year’s.
The procession was led by a convoy of motorcycles from the Oxford Chapter of Harley-Davidsons. The noise was deafening, they were followed by the Town Crier. The cavalcade was a mixture of floats with a variety of themes from Pirates (and there was a motley collection of them) to Alice in Wonderland, Willy Wonka, 101 Dalmatians and a contingent of foot soldiers from the civil war of 1643. There were some gorgeous costumes, including characters from the Wizard of Oz, Wallace and Gromit and an assortment of costumes from the Town Council staff.
There were also Scottish Pipers, drum majorettes and a couple of stilt walkers. The town was full of colours, noise and lots of people.
The marking was impossible and we were not allowed to confer and the sheets were taken off us when the last float passed. We joined the end of the procession up Northbrook Street, along London Road and into Park Way, where the floats emptied of the participants. We then went into a packed Victoria Park. I have never seen it so full. Most surrounded the enclosure and the stage where the majorettes were performing their acts. We conferred to judge the best costumes and eventually chose the Wizard of Oz characters. They were very special. As to the overall winners, there was little doubt about the winners; the 101 Dalmatians were really gorgeous. I loved those black & white wigs – must get one!
This years carnival was really the best for years with over 800 people there. Bryan Harper and his team did a splendid job as did the volunteers who drove the vehicle floats, acted as stewards, and friends who made the costumes. If this year’s carnival is the beginning of large and exotic floats, I am really looking forward to next year’s.
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