I would hate to see it die

5:10am Friday 4th July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

NORTHWICH Carnival is celebrating 120 years of history with a packed programme this weekend.

The annual event started in 1888 to raise money to build the infirmary and has welcomed some very famous faces over the years.

We all got pushed and shoved and I got knocked to the back of the stage and had a nose bleed down my dress – my uncle lifted me off stage to get me out of the way.

Barbara Turner recalls Beatlemania in Northwich

Barbara Turner, a committee member since 1974, was first involved with the carnival as a member of the retinue when she was nine years old.

This was in 1963, the year the Beatles were invited to crown the carnival queen.

Barbara said: “They were hidden in a van behind the stage until it was time to come out.

“I remember them running around the stage and the crowd surged forward – they were being held back by a chain of police and councillors.

“We all got pushed and shoved and I got knocked to the back of the stage and had a nose bleed down my dress – my uncle lifted me off stage to get me out of the way.

“It was such mayhem that the Beatles couldn’t actually crown the queen.

“We had a dance at the memorial hall every Saturday night and they crowned her there instead.”

But rising costs and different interests are having an impact on the traditional event.

Barbara said: “It costs £6,000 to put on, by the time you’ve hired things like tents and toilets and got prize money for the troupes – we’ve got to be sure of making that before we can think of giving money to charity.”

She said: “There’s so much more for people to do. “In days of old people didn’t have cars and couldn’t get out and about so the carnival was a special day of the year and people used to go, take a picnic and stay all day.”

Barbara added: “Personally I would hate to see it die out and I would keep it going even if it was just a little fete.”

Anyone interested joining the carnival committee or in volunteering to help this weekend should ring Barbara on 01606 76113.

The committee is appealing for any first aiders who can help on the day to get in touch by ringing the above telephone number.

---

Carnival programme

Friday:

Fair officially opens for the weekend at Verdin Park Saturday:

1pm – Parade sets off from Denton Drive and travels through the town centre, reaching Verdin Park at 2pm. 3pm– This year’s carnival queen, 15-year-old Hartford High School pupil Ashleigh Ball, will be crowned by David Roberts from Frank Roberts and Sons Bakery. Entertainment will include Wirral Scottish Pipe Band and a variety of troupes, including Sue Morgan School of Dance, Quicksteps and Elite, and martial arts displays. A strongman competition will also be held, with the final planned for Northwich Festival, at Moss Farm, in August. Sunday:

8am: – Car boot sale. Prices are £6 per car and £8 per van. Novelty dog show – entrants just need to turn up on the day. A strongman competition for novices will also be held.