Taunton Carnival 2012: New route and show-stopping entertainment

This Saturday locals will line the streets for the 47th annual Taunton Carnival which is set to follow a shorter route this year.

There will be 80 entries participating in the illuminated procession led by the Gloster Gladiators Marching Band.

This year sees a variety of show stopping items travelling down Taunton Streets including a variety of decorative floats, walking entries adorned in fancy dress, and a horse drawn carriage.

The procession will start in Tangier Way, make its way along Wood Street, turning into Bridge Street, through the town centre into East Street and finally, it will travel down East Reach.

This year's Carnival will see a number of different classes for entrants to compete in and judging will take place at the junction at Wordsworth Drive.

Funds raised at the Carnival will be donated to Apple AM Taunton Hospital Radio, which provides entertainment for Musgrove Hospital patients and ESCAPE Children's Support group.

There will be road closures and diversion on various Taunton Streets and Roads on the night:

The Third Way will be closed between Tangier and Castle Street car parks all the way down to Lidls from 2pm.

Access to Supermarkets Tesco and Lidl will still be available.

The town centre will also be closed to traffic at 6.30pm in order that the procession route  is cleared of traffic before the crowds line the pavements.

Through traffic will be directed away from the town centre and there will still be  easy access to Musgrove Park Hospital.

See the Taunton People's picture gallery of last year's Carnival here.