Thousands of people lined the streets of Sandown last night (Saturday) as the town’s annual carnival was hailed as one of its best attended main parades in recent years.
The procession got underway from Sandown Library at 19:00, with colourful floats, marching bands and walking entries making their way through the town centre.
Floats and walking groups from across the Isle of Wight took part in the parade, alongside a number of entries from the mainland, helping to make it one of the biggest displays in recent memory.
Following the successful event, organisers thanked everyone who turned out to support the carnival, describing the impressive turnout as a huge boost for the long-running tradition.
In a message shared after the parade, Sandown Carnival said:
“Thank you for turning out for one of our best attended main carnivals yet! We cannot run our events without your support.”
The committee has also highlighted the significant cost of staging the annual carnival celebrations, revealing that expenses can reach £50,000 each year.
Those costs include paying for bands taking part in the parades, specialist insurance, medical cover, float building costs and the running costs of the carnival’s fundraising outlet.
Collection buckets were carried through the crowds on Saturday night, with organisers thanking everyone who donated. Those who were unable to contribute during the event can still make a donation online to help ensure Sandown Carnival continues for years to come.
Attention now turns to the Newport Main Carnival, which takes place next Saturday (1st August).
Images below courtesy of Paul Bird Photography
