Car-ni-val, Bridgwater

Here are some highlights of the Carnival in Bridgwater, Somerset. I didn't realise what a big event this was going to be until I saw some of the floats - so bright they radiated heat. It takes place on a Friday sometime around 5th November, so there were some floats relating to The Gunpowder Plot and Guy Fawkes, there was also a troop of 17th Century soldiers. However, it is much more than the usual municipal fireworks display.

After several litres of cider, and some fighting between some local teenage girls we got ready for the squibbing - lighting explosive lances (squibs) in a long line down the main street. I'm not sure how the council manage to get this event past health and safety people, and standing where I was, the sparks started burning through my clothes and into my skin. Thankfully I'd drunk enough cider not to mind, but not enough to take off my shirt as is traditional here.


After all this we went back to set off some fireworks of our own, and Robin helpfully let me interpret the instructions and light a Vampire Géant - a firework which someone had thoughtfully smuggled from France for the occasion. A great night was had by all.