Well it was a damp start to our Carnival this year, but what a carnival 20 Floats and too many walking entries to count. As ever the standard was high and despite the rain the crowds still turned up in their masses, and I am pleased to say a good majority hung around for the entertainment afterwards. Surrounded by fairground rides and stalls, from 8:30pm the Town Band played in the Square Car Park and the weather dried up, this was followed with back to back samba and finished off with an amazing live Fire Performance that wowed the crowd with four performers risking all, they juggled flaming sticks, hula hoops, fire eating, fire breathing and much much more. Inside the Parish Hall from 9pm “DJ DK” provided a Disco around two sets from newly formed band “Damaged Goods”, and further to being rained off from his earlier outside performance WIlderland also performed a set in the Hall.

The whole event went off without a hitch with the centenary celebrations going on late into the night, I wonder if those original pioneers of Hartland Carnival though it would ever get so big and go on for so many years! Feedback is welcome on here or the Facebook page, long may the carnival continue, if you want to ensure it does the committee is looking for new independent members or new groups to join, it is a great way to raise fund for you group please get in touch!

Private Houses First - Edith Ayer of Vicarage Close-Teddy Bears Picnic "Fantastic display Lots of hard work gone into this"

Second - Amy Pillman The Greenwoods-Olymic Fun "Good Variety,good effort"

Third - B Brown Hazeldene Winnie Poo and Friends "Great,well made features,popular topic"

Other entrants were:

Gnome Olympics [Opposite No39 Fore St] did display but didn't enter -"good timing!"

Business Entries

First - Post Office - Black and White "Excellent Display and Characters"

Second - The Pop In-The Old Sweet Shop "Lots of hard work colourful and artistic,really Oldy Worldly"

Third - White Hare Gifts- The white hare of Hartland "Beautiful artwork and lots of thought gone into display"

Other entrants were:

Springfield " Good Story,great tomb!"

No39 Fore Street, The Pottery "Lots of thought ,good pots"

"Judges Comments"

Well done to all involved!

WALKING CLASSES

Class 1 (Under 15 Pair) – No entries

Class 2 (Under 15 Single) – No entries

Class 3 (Under 10 Pair) – 1st ‘Clowning Around’ (Tallulah Thomas, Abigail Toase, Megan Pillman & ‘Obe’ the dog); 2nd ‘Star Wars’ (Liam O’Sullivan & Matthew Morgan).

Class 4 (Under 10 Single) – 1st ‘Amy Winehouse’ Jasmine Njie; 2nd ‘Cowgirl’ (Rachael Hamilton).

Classes 5 (Under 6 Pairs) and 6 (Under 6 Single) – No entries

Class 7 (Individual Adult) – 1st ‘Tarka the Otter’ (Alison Rikman); 2nd ‘90th Anniversary of RBL’ (Margaret Wood);  3rd ‘The World’s Biggest Toddler’ Simon Cornish.

Class 8 (Adult Pair) – 1st ‘Comfort People’ Christine Southern & Marisa Littlejohns.

Class 9 (Groups – Adults & Children) – 1st ‘Chinese New Year Celebrations’ Debbie Simmons & friends; 2nd ‘Harry Potter comes to Hartland’ Leonard Family & friends; 3rd ‘Mr. Men’ Lake, Kinnish, Lavercombe & Shapland. 

Class 10 (Groups – Adults only) – 1st ‘Venetian Masked Ball’ Hartland & Bideford Day Centres; 2nd ‘The Knock UFO Alien Attack’ Jim Knock & friends.

‘Hartland Carnival Cup’ and Blue Riband for Best Overall Walking Entry - ‘Chinese New Year Celebrations’

‘Hart Inn’ Trophy for the Most Entertaining Walking Entry - ‘Chinese New Year Celebrations’

MOUNTED CLASSES

Class 11 (Artistic Tableaux) – 1st ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ (Rob & Lindsey Allin & friends); 2nd ‘Wild Wild West Country’ (Andy & Savannah Olde & friends).

Class 12 (Children’s Tableaux) – 1st ‘Chicken Run’ (Deptford Farm and friends); 2nd ‘Harry Potter & The Wizkids – the final flight’ (Guy & Zoe Allin & friends); 3rd ‘Hartland Remembers’ (Colin & Sarah Goaman and friends).

Class 13 (Topical Tableaux) 1st ‘Chillian Miners’ (Gawlish & friends); 2nd ‘Wild Wild Southwest’ (Richard Shearing & friends); 3rd ‘Smurfs Devon Tour’ (Woolsery YFC).  (7 entries)

Class 14 (Comic Tableaux) 1st ‘Yeo Valley Rap’ (Bryan & Kelly Olde & friends); 2nd ‘Nissan Water Powered Hybrid’ (Brian Andrew); 3rd ‘Beach Party’ (Max Heard & friends). (10 entries).

Class 15 (Animal or Animal Drawn Vehicle) – No entries

Class 16 (Small Motorised Vehicle) 1st ‘Harry’s Hot Hartland Harem’ (Heard, Threlkeld & Harding families); 2nd ‘The Lynx Effect’ (Bret Clark & friends); 3rd ‘TED 1’ (Chris, Jack & Alice Cory).

Class 17 (Queen of Queens Cup) – No entries

Blue Riband for Best Overall in the Tableaux Classes - ‘Chicken Run.’

The ‘Milky Way Millennium Cup’ for Most Artistic Tableau – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’

‘Jamie Johns’ Memorial Trophy for the Most Entertaining in the Tableaux Classes - ‘Harry Potter & the Wizkids’

‘Hartland Carnival Shield’ for the Best Local Tableau ‘Chicken Run.’

Best Decorated Premises

Private: First Prize- Bagpuss - The Threlkelds

Buisiness:

First Prize  - Thunderbirds - The Post Office

Joint Second Prize- No 1 Ladies Swimming Team - Springfield Pottery

Joint Second Prize- No 2 Ladies Swimming Team - 2 Harton Manor B&B

Third Prize - Antiques Roadshow - The Farm Shop

Well the weather started bad but from lunchtime on, there was no rain and that was good enough for me, and thousands others for that matter, the east car park was nearly full!! Less entries than last year (20) but one entry was made up of four vehicles, the Allin's Top Gear entry made up of three camper vans in the style of the Top Gear vehicles that were recently filmed at Hartland Quay and a film crew!

The Blue Ribbon Award for best float award went to "The Railway Children" which also scooped best local float and The Jamie Johns Memorial Trophy for most entertaining float!

The most successful walking group was Bollywood who scooped the Blue Ribbon and Most Entertaining walker’s awards! Other first in classes included Radio Caroline's "The boat that rocked" and Avatar! I have uploaded some photos kindly taken by Bob Seymour from Shoreline Photography.

A very high turnout of Floats (25) this year and  I have  had many comments about what a high standard they were this year. The Procession kicked of on time and even though we had such a large number of floats the procession went round smoothly. There appeared to be a space theme this year with  many of the prize winners celebrating the 40th anniversary on the Moon Landing and the recent findings on Mars. The weather was  fantastic which made for a good carnival and also kept the revelers in the village square until late, they were kept entertained by the Samba Bands Vaminos and Energia who gave an excellent performance. For those of us that were in the procession and did not get the opportunity to watch the carnival live, we had the opportunity to view it on the Kings Arm's large screen TV after the Landlord kindly recorded the event!  The walker numbers were down but what they lacked in quantity was made up for by the quality , one comment from a resident of Bridgwater was, "the walkers were of a quality expected at Bridgwater, and the carnival atmosphere was second to none" No trouble has been reported from the event and PC Tony Ellis was also impressed with the great atmosphere we had this year. Come midnight as you'd expect the streets were pretty messy but Torridge District Council cleaning team were out and about in the early hours and the place was spotless before most people had arisen, a big  thank you to those that were involved with the clean up!

 The monies raised, which go to 11 local groups such as the ATC and Cubs, have not yet been counted but early indications are showing we are well in excess of last year.