Historian pushes to revive town carnival

The first carnival in Chippenham is believed to have been in 1920 to raise money for the local hospital

A historian is trying to bring a carnival back to a Wiltshire town.

Chris Dallimore, who chairs the Chippenham Carnival Group, wants to revive the event that started around 1920 and stopped in the noughties.

A brief return from 2017 to 2019 was ended by Covid but, after visiting the nearby Bromham carnival, Mr Dallimore said the events still have a place.

Although the carnival has not been confirmed, Mr Dallimore hoped Chippenham Carnival group could make the event happen at the end of June 2026.

He said: "We're hoping to have many different types of vehicles and lots of different community groups represented, local schools.

"Anybody who's part of the town that wants to be represented are welcome."

Chris Dallimore chairs the Chippenham Carnival Group

The group chair admitted that although carnivals can be expensive, and difficult to plan, they also bring a lot of trade to towns.

He said: "There are licences, insurance, road closures, all these things to consider.

"But we're applying for grants and hopefully local businesses maybe want to sponsor. We do hope to be able to use the event to raise money for local charities."

He added: "It's happening in other towns - lots of people talk about how they miss it."

The Homemakers float featured in 1971

Ms Twomey-Hunt, who runs the Wilton Carnival that started in the late 1940s, said carnivals are about inclusion.

"It was like I'd been invited to a party in my town and it just felt like I belonged here," she said.

"All those pockets of people around a community that can take part in one way or another.

"Whether they come as visitors and they spend money, or they help run stalls, they enter into the parade, they could help with the build.

"There's different pockets of people that have all got skills and we hope that they find it rewarding to be part of it," she added.

The Chippenham Carnival used to crown a queen