MONMOUTH’S annual carnival has been hailed as a great success this year despite a change of date and a change of direction!

Now independent of the festival, carnival organisers took the brave decision to have an earlier date and it paid dividends on Sunday 2nd July.

The street was awash with the sights and sounds of a well-organised and well-supported event with the Samba Galez Band from Cardiff who headed the procession from the ancient Monnow Bridge to Agincourt Square, and brought up the rear!

There were spacemen and monsters, footballers and a rainbow warrior winding their way up a crowded Monnow street lined with spectators.

There were entries from Busy Bees of Wyesham, Little Einsteins Day Care, the gym club, Mayhem Musical Theatre, U10 footballers, Monmouth girls’ football team and the Fantastic Misfits from Rockfield.

Leading the parade was the town’s fire service, vintage tractors and a double decker bus, as well as vintage motorcycles and the ‘Spirit of Monmouth,’ Sue White.

Joining the parade was the mayor Councillor Felicity Cotton, with her mace bearers John Blake and Caroline Bright, along with High Sheriff Kevin Thomas.

Gathering at Agincourt Square, the Monmouth Gym Club gave a fantastic display before the prizes were given to the best entries.

First in the individual walkers was the Rainbow Warrior, best vintage entry was the trio of Massey Fergusons with the double decker bus, driven by Ken and Shirley Morgan, coming second.

Group awards went to Fantastic Misfits with the Busy Bees Toddler Group taking top spot for best group.

Cllr Cotton said it was fantastic to be part of such an exciting and lively event and added: “I certainly felt the strong beat of the samba drums, and the sirens of the fire brigade as we paraded together. It was lovely to see the carnival entries, from babies in prams to the finest bus conductors of yesteryear. Monmouth should feel proud that we have such a strong community that are capable of producing an annual event, with tireless enthusiasm and attention to detail. They all are a credit to our town.”

High Sheriff Kevin Thomas, who helped to judge the entries felt honoured to be asked: adding: “It is a safe bet to assume that such pageants have taken place since the early Middle Ages. The entries for the 2017 event were all terrific, and were all in that tradition. I take my hat off to them all.”

To view and purchase photos from the show go to http://monmouthshirebeacon.newsprints.co.uk