The Highbridge and Burnham Carnival is set to become the first event on the annual carnival circuit in the year 2012 by being held on a Friday night for the first time.
Members of the town’s carnival committee announced at Saturday’s Presentations Night that they have decided to move Burnham’s carnival to the Friday night before Bridgwater for a three-year trial.
Carnival Chairman Phil New told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We’ve always wanted to maximise our potential for fundraising by pulling in bigger crowds on a weekend night and, as Bridgwater is moving to Saturdays from 2012, we’ve decided that Friday would be better for our procession than the current Monday.”
“This has not been entered into lightly or without asking help and views from participants and other committees,” he added.
“We have looked at quite a few options of different nights after our original preference of the Bridgwater Friday was awarded to Weston at a county carnival meeting.”
“Our committee have taken that decision on the chin and soldiered on through what I would say without doubt was the worst period of my carnival history.”
“We had to pick what we thought would be the second best choice, then the third etc as different clubs, committees and individuals have had their say.”
“We have taken our time and listened to many and decided, with hopefully the approval from county, to hold our carnival on the Friday before Bridgwater so we can still hopefully have some of the benefits that all others towns have as part of a weekend (with the exception of Shepton).”
Phil added that he hopes the move to a Friday will boost spectator numbers. “It has been hard for some to take in that a Monday night is not as good as a weekend night.”
“As it is now, the holiday parks in Burnham are currently full for Bridgwater on a Friday and Petherton on a Saturday but they are empty when it is our own carnival on a Monday night.”
“We appreciate there will be people against our choice of night, but we also appreciate we are not going to please everyone on whatever night we choose.”
