Despite the rain, the crowds still came for a fantastic day out at the Ashington Festival.
The day started with the Carnival procession travelling through the village lead by some members of the committee dressed as Zulu warriors, they were followed by the 2013 Carnival Princess Matilda Richardson and her 2 Attendants Amber Teanby and Katie Lightbody. And her 3 Pageboys Lewis Nicholls, Douglas Murray and Alfie Lightbody.
With the parade was an excellent standard of Carnival Floats and Walking Groups, the overall winners were 1st the Hillcrest Hoses as Toy Story, 2nd was Judith Gichovi-Elias
as Peter Pan and 3rd was the Ashington Scouts with a float made as a lifeboat for the RNLI ?
Among the entries were marching bands and majorettes making a colourful parade.
As the Carnival entered the Recreation Ground there was a lot of entertainment for every age group, including Harris Brothers Funfair, a fun Dog Show, car boot sale and rows of craft and charity stalls selling some beautiful and interesting things. In the Community Centre was the Flower Show with some wonderful exhibits of flowers and vegetables and craft items all to a very high standard.
The entertainment didn’t stop there as there was arena and stage acts through the afternoon and evening, starting with a jazz band and other acts were a high wire act a children’s entertainer a blues singer and the Abba Girls got the evening started, then came the act everyone was waiting for the Freddie Murcury tribute act back by popular demand from last year, the music and dancing carried on to the end of the evening with the popular Speedboatz group playing music through the decades. With a fantastic firework display and a variety of foods available and a licensed bar, everyone that came although wet thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
