November Madness

Every year, a strange fever comes over us Somerset folk. November comes around, and after we all go through the well known tradition of Bonfire Night and Fireworks, we start Carnival season. Every year, this seems to get bigger and brighter. There are a large number of carnival clubs around the county, and each year they complete to win the prize for the best float in the carnival. The carnival moves around from town to town on a succession of nights, and last night was Glastonburys turn. This is the one that Ellie and I usually go to see, as my sister lives close to the start of the parade route, and it means we can get a really good view without having to queue up and wait for ages. Next year, the plan will change as my sister is planning on moving house, but for this year, we managed to follow the usual routine.

Unfortunately, Tabitha just couldn't cope with all the noise, and all the people, so this event is yet another that involves us having to split the family in half, Ellie and I going to the carnival, and Chris staying home with Tabitha. I do hope that one day things will be different.

I took a video of the most spectacular float but I can't get it to load on here. It was produced by the Gremlins Carnival Club, who seem to have fantastic ideas and win the best float category in most of the carnivals. It is truely amazing to see the amount of work and planning that goes in to producing something like this.

However, I have to say, there must be an element of madness involved for everyone who gets involved in the Carnival Season. Right from the amount of man hours that are involved in producing the floats, to the people who populate the floats and the choreography that goes on with them, right down to the people who stand, late into the night on the side of the roads, in November, come rain or snow to watch the displays. We are all a little bit mad in Somerset.