Huge crowd expected for big day of family fun at the seaside

Up to 20,000 people are expected to enjoy a big day of family fun at the Eastbourne Carnival on Sunday November 23. “We’re ready to welcome visitors from across the Wellington region and beyond,” says Carnival Coordinator Sally Bain.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into organising an event of this size, and the numbers speak for themselves,” Mrs Bain says.

“The Beat Girls are the lead act in a line-up of six bands and five street performers. At 12.15pm anyone of school age can take part in the Kids Carnival costume parade. The theme is ‘carnival’, and the first prize is an iPod Touch,” she says.

“A haunted house, Santa’s Grotto, and Horizontal Bungy are just some of the fifteen rides and amusements on offer at the carnival.”

“Rimu and Oroua Streets will be closed to traffic to make room for 150 boutique stalls. In Muritai School, three classrooms will be selling over 5,000 quality second-hand books, toys and items of clothing,” she says.

“We’ll have 370 volunteers from the school community helping on the day. They’re preparing to sell 400 glasses of strawberries and champagne, 750 ice blocks and 1200 rashers of bacon inside bacon butties,” she says.

The Eastbourne Carnival is a biennial fundraiser for Muritai School. School Principal Andrew Bird says: “We’ve just opened a completely new school library paid for with funds raised at previous carnivals. While the carnival takes a lot of effort to put on, it’s all worth it when you see the results. It’s also just a really fun day out for families.”

Carnival Numbers
Up to 20,000 visitors
5,000 second-hand books, toys and items of clothing for sale
1200 bacon rashers
750 ice blocks
500 punnets of strawberries and cream
400 glasses of strawberries and champagne
370 volunteers working on the day
300 plants for sale
250m wrapping paper in gift wrapping room
150 craft stalls
35kg of satay chicken
25 carnival committee members
15 rides and amusements
12 food stalls
8th Eastbourne Carnival
6 bands
5 street performers
2 streets closed to traffic
1 iPod Touch first prize in the Kids Carnival Parade

The details:
Eastbourne Carnival, 23 November 10-3pm, Muritai School and surrounding streets, Eastbourne. Parking provided, public transport available. Visit www.eastbournecarnival.org.nz or follow Eastbourne Carnival on Facebook for more information.

ENDS

© Scoop Media