THIS year’s Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival was packed with an incredible 99 entries and the highest standards seen in recent years.

Despite a long delay to the announcement of the results and a brief spell of light drizzle, the spirit of carnival was certainly not dampened.

By the time darkness fell, the enormous crowds had well and truly lined the entire 2.5-mile-long route, which started at Bath Road and terminated at Mount Street at around 9.30pm. The first visual scenes of the Procession arrived at the Cornhill at just after 7pm, with the Church of St. Mary lit up in dazzling colours from Gemini CC’s ‘Rock and Roll Train’. It was an unforgettable night, with some standout entries of the highest creativity and originality.

Other carts making an illuminating impression on the crowds – and Bridgwater’s historic architecture – included Toppers CC’s ‘Parlay’; Renegades CC’s ‘The Manor’; British Flag CC’s ‘Make It Work’; Marketeers CC’s ‘Spirit of the Eagle’; Gremlins CC’s ‘Beatlemania’; and of course, Ramblers CC’s ‘Pinball’.

Some of the smaller entries were just as impressive and intricate, including Wills CC’s ‘Tinned Up’, and Ipplepen CC’s ‘Joseph’, and Hillview CC’s ‘Country Kidz’. Each and every entry take months to create, with countless hours of dedication spent ensuring the carts and costumes are ready for Bridgwater Carnival. The Procession is genuinely an incredible sight, and it is testament to the dedication of the volunteers who all give their time up for free.

Spare a thought also for the staff members and volunteers who were tasked with the sweeping up and collecting debris left over. The clean-up operation, which costs an estimated £5,000, covers staff time, vehicles, bags, and the disposal of glasses, cans and food wrappers. The clean-up typically takes around seven and a half hours to cover the two-and-a-half-mile route, with additional time required if windy conditions cause litter to scatter.