More children than ever expected to line up for Cockermouth carnival

Last updated at 22:21, Thursday, 14 June 2012

Hundreds of people are expected to line the streets of Cockermouth tomorrow for the town’s annual carnival.

Cockermouth carnival STARs: From left: Holly Winstanley, 12, who is Britannia, retiring queen Rachel Goodfellow, eight, 2012 carnival queen Lucy Laidlow, six, and snow queen Jessica Wilson, eight

The parade will assemble in the Wilkinson and South Street car park from 12.30pm, and judging will take place at 1pm.

The procession, led by Cockermouth Mechanics Band, starts at 1.30pm.

It will travel along South Street, Lorton Street, Kirkgate and then Main Street and finish in the Memorial Gardens where there will be a fun fair, entertainment and the Cockermouth Round Table duck race.

This year’s carnival queen is Lucy Laidlow, six, who takes over from retiring queen Rachel Goodfellow, eight.

The snow queen is Jessica Wilson, eight, and Britannia is Holly Winstanley, 12.

Carnival regulars Mary’s Dancing Divas and a salsa band made up of pupils from Cockermouth schools will also perform.

Julie Laidlow, carnival chairman, said: “We are expecting a really good turnout. We have had a fantastic response from the schools and we have more children than ever taking part.”

The carnival is part of the town’s midsummer festival, which launches tonight with The Games, a comedy about the original Olympic Games in Greece, at the Kirkgate Centre at 8pm. Other highlights will include the Olympic torch relay through the town on Thursday, which will be followed by a solstice picnic in the Memorial Gardens.

Cockermouth Live! will conclude the festival next Saturday.

It will feature around 40 groups performing across eight venues, including the Memorial Gardens, the Kirkgate Centre, Jennings Brewery and Wordsworth House.

There will be tours of Cockermouth Castle throughout the week, and a jazz workshop with Roz Sluman on Sunday, with those attending invited to play in the evening concert with Fusionhead.

First published at 19:24, Thursday, 14 June 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk