Dozens of carnival club members from across Somerset gathered on Saturday night (January 5th) for the annual Highbridge and Burnham-On-Sea Carnival presentation evening.
Over 250 people headed to Rookery Manor to see scores of trophies and shields handed out to the winners of the 2018 Burnham Carnival parade by Carnival Chairman Phil New, President Malcolm Borland and Carnival Queen Niah Vall.
Members of Burnham’s Hillview Carnival Club had a great night, receiving six awards for their very successful colourful ghost-themed float, The Spook Returns. Burnham’s Dance Fit Academy also received two awards.
A special, new award in memory of former Hillview Carnival Club member Andrew ‘Big D’ White who died last year was presented by members of his family and the New family to Gremlins for technical achievement, as pictured below.
The Spirit Of Carnival Award – given to the individual that has shown the true spirit of carnival – was presented to Dave Perrett, who has been involved in helping to organise carnivals for over 40 years. Phil New explained that Dave “often has gone over and beyond to help us keep our carnival on the road… and has been an essential part of carnival stretching back to the early 1970s.” He is pictured with the Carnival President and Queen.
The Phil Harris Memorial Bowl for the best entry in the entire Burnham and Highbridge Carnival procession went to Marketeers, pictured below, although the trophy may have a few dents after being accidentally dropped during the presentation!
Phil told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “It was a brilliant night when clubs from across Somerset came together to look back at another great year.”
He added: “On behalf of the whole committee, a special thank you also goes to Bradley Loveridge for organising such a successful awards evening.”
The Carnival Queen told the audience that it had been a great honour to lead November’s Carnival through Burnham and she added that she’d enjoyed her year so much that she would like to repeat it again!
See guide to Burnham-On-Sea Carnival 2019
