Since it was first held in 1962 the modern Marple Carnival has become a major event in the local calendar. Marple Carnival Committee work hard each year to make the Carnival a great success but with dwindling numbers and chairman Bill Ardern deciding to retire at the end of 2010 after 20 years of fantastic service, a potential "Carnival Crisis" was approaching. Thankfully the local community responded to appeals for new members and a strengthened committee is looking forward to the challenges of continuing this popular event for many more years to come. Bill will step down at the annual distribution of funds at the Cricket Club in October, when new chairman John Wright will take up the reins after shadowing Bill this year. This means that Marple can give Bill a big send off at the 2010 Carnival - the 48th since its revival - safe in the knowledge that there will be many more carnival celebrations to enjoy.

Each year the committee choose a theme for the fancy dress parade and this year it is 'Life Under the Sea'. That should give plenty of scope for the floats and fancy dress and will create a fun filled atmosphere on the day whatever the weather!

Morley's Fun Fair, which has been linked with the Carnival for more than forty years, will once again return to provide entertainment in Brabyns Park over the Carnival weekend, 19th to 23rd June. There will be something for all the family - so do go along and have a good time.

For early risers looking for bargains, the Carnival Programme starts in Memorial Park at 8.00 am with an enormous boot sale. The Park will be the main focus for most of the day, with a good selection of stalls and side shows. If you're interested in booking a stall for your own organisation then ring Chris Armitt on 0161 427 7284.

The show ring will provide a variety of entertainment throughout the day, including Punch and Judy, Marching Bands, The Bulldog Display Team, The Billerettes, The Manchester School of Samba and a great selection of bands including Marple / Hawk Green Band and Mossley Band.

Another favorite attraction is the Fun Dog Show, this year hosted by Manchester and Cheshire Dogs' Home. This is great fun for all the family and the money raised on the day will help to support the care of approximately 7,000 dogs taken in each year by the home, which is a registered charity. Classes included Best Pedigree, Best Crossbreed, Prettiest Bitch, Most Handsome Boy, Sweetest OAP, Cutest Puppy, Best Trick and Best in Show - so something for every dog! Registration will be open from 10.30am with a fee of £1 per class per dog. For more information about Manchester and Cheshire Dogs' Home visit www.dogshome.net

The Carnival Grand Parade will kick off at 2.00pm, following the normal route. As usual the parade will feature a large cross-section of our local community, schools and organisations. Anyone wishing to take part should contact Parade Officer, Dave Bluff, on 0161 449 8167.

2010 Carnival Royalty (left to right): Rosebud Alissa Sharp, Princess Melissa Jarvis and Queen Victoria Penney

After the parade one of the main events in the show ring will be the crowning of the 2010 Carnival Queen Victoria Penney, who is 10 years old. A month after her Carnival Day starring role Victoria will be saying goodbye to Rosehill Primary School, where she is currently in Year 6, and getting ready for her first day at Marple Hall School in September. Before then she is looking forward to summer camp with 4th Marple Guides and celebrating 100 years of Guiding. Victoria also enjoys going to Marple Baths' Saturday fun swim, playing the clarinet at music school in Stockport, as well as looking after Fluffy the rabbit and her Scotty dog Sooty, who is nearly 15 years old! Victoria says she is "excited" to to be taking part as Carnival Queen and is looking forward to seeing all her friends from school on Marple's biggest day of the year.

Victoria will be joined by Carnival Princess Melissa Jarvis and Rosebud Alissa Sharp. Nine-year-old Melissa lives with her mum, two younger sisters, two pet guinea pigs...and stick insects. Playing with her sisters Olivia and Pippa is one of her favourite pastimes, along with gymnastics, skipping and cycling. A pupil at All Saints' Primary School, Melissa also likes writing stories and reading them to her family. She says it will be fun to take part in the Carnival, rather than just watching. "The thing I am looking forward to most about being the Princess is wearing a beautiful dress and looking pretty." Seven year old Rosebud Alissa Sharp attends Brabyns Prep School, where she enjoys taking part in the school choir and drama groups. She is a member of Marple Swimming Club and 4th Marple brownies, and loves riding her pony Cody. As Carnival Rosebud, Alissa will relish the chance to be a star for the day, which will come as no surprise to her family and friends, as her ambition when she grows up is to be a famous singer!

On the big day all the girls will be dressed in their special Carnival gowns and will be crowned with hand-crafted tiaras provided by Tinkerbelltiaras.com.

2009 Carnival Queen Sarah Smith

Good wishes are sent to Marple's new "Royals" by last year's retiring Queen, Sarah Smith, retiring Princesses Emily Anderson and Jessica Grayson and retiring Rosebud Luisa Kelly. They all enjoyed their reign in 2009/10 whilst raising money for a variety of local charities. Sarah says "I would like to thank the committee for their support - and sincerely hope that Victoria enjoys her year as Carnival Queen as much as I have. Fingers crossed for good weather on the 19th!" Emily and Jessica send their good wishes to new Princess Melissa and said that the highlights of their day included dressing up, wearing tiaras and being crowned by local sporting hero Matthew Walker. Retiring Rosebud Louisa, who also enjoyed meeting Matthew and wearing a lovely dress, said, "I felt really special and important, like the Queen! It was a very happy day and I'll always remember it"

If you are interested in becoming a future Carnival Queen, Princess or Rosebud and having as much fun as Sarah, Emily, Jessica and Louisa did last year, then get in touch with the Carnival Committee, who are now seeking 'Royals' for the 2011 Carnival.

2009 Princess Emily Anderson

2009 Princess Jessica Grayson

2009 Rosebud Louisa Kelly

New Horizons, the canal boat for the disabled, will again be moored at Possett Bridge next to the park. New Horizons, the specially equipped boat commissioned in 1981 by Prince Charles, is manned by a full-time skipper and volunteer crew, who will welcome visitors aboard to show them around on Carnival Day. You can support New Horizons and The Stockport Canal Boat Trust by joining in their appeal to help 'Float their Boat'. For more information about New Horizons, visit their web site run by former Skipper, Bill Beard.

For a pictorial record of Marple's Carnivals going back several years, take a look at the Carnival Photo Archive. If you manage to take any great photos of the day this year that you would like to submit to the archive, just get in touch by using the contacts page.

Many people think the Carnival takes place overnight but this is far from the truth. Planning and fund raising is an all-year-round task. The Carnival Car Boot Sales, held at Rose Hill Station Car Park on the last Sunday of each month between March and October, make a major contribution to these funds. The dates and times of the Boot Sales are detailed in the Community Events section of the Notice Board. A stall costs only £8 (£9 on Carnival Day).

Committee Members 2010: Top (left to right) Alan Chin, David Bluff, Chris Armitt, Joan Armitt, John Wright, Donna Norbury, Joan Wright, Karen Wilson, Karen Bluff, Alison Barton, Gavin Equem. Bottom (left to right) Micaela Wood, Alan Proctor, Bill Ardern and Rachel Armitt.

It costs a surprising amount of money to put on a celebration like this and in addition to their other fund-raising activities the Carnival Committee run a scheme where any firm, organisation or individual wishing to make a donation of £5 or more can be listed as a Vice-President in the Carnival Programme. If you would like to make a donation and get your name in next year's programme, get in touch with Carnival Committee Chairman Bill Ardern on 0161 355 9118.