Thousands of people will line the streets of Bridgwater on Saturday. The world famous Guy Fawkes Carnival returns to the Somerset town on Saturday, November 4.
More than 100,000 people from across the South West and the wider area will descend on the town. Dubbed ‘the UK’s oldest carnival and one of the largest illuminated carnival processions in Europe’, the carnival is always highly anticipated by many.
Organisers are hoping the 2023 carnival series will be the biggest and best yet. The procession will once get under way at the earlier start time of 6pm.
It is the first of the seven carnivals that constitute the Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnival Association (SCGFCA). The circuit starts with Bridgwater on the first Saturday in November, followed by Burnham-on-Sea on the following Monday, Weston-super-Mare on the Friday, North Petherton on the second Saturday in November, Shepton Mallet on the following Wednesday, Wells on the Friday concluding with Glastonbury on the third Saturday in November.
Here is everything you need to know about this year’s carnival
The Guy Fawkes Carnival is an annual event full of brightly lit carts, colourful performers, talented acts and, of course, squibbers. Dating from as early as 1847, spectators can expect at least 40 illuminated carts - each up to 30 metres long - packed with lights and dancers performing, as well as musical acts. There are 98 entries for the 2023 procession
The carnival’s origins lie in the failed exploits of Guy Fawkes, and in the 418th anniversary of these Gunpowder Plot celebrations, Bridgwater Carnival 2023 will be one of the biggest and best one yet.
When will it start?
The carnival is set to get underway at 6pm and will end roughly around 9.30pm. The Squibbing Display is programmed to commence 30 minutes after the last procession entry crosses the finish line.
What route will the carnival take?
Here is the map of the carnival route and the roads it will travel along at certain times.
Procession timings
1 - Procession Line Up: From 10am.
2 - Start of Pre-Procession: 5.30pm
3 - Start of Procession: 6pm
4 - Bath Road: 6.15pm
5 - Cross Rifles Roundabout: 6.25pm
6 - Grandstands Start.6.40pm
7 - Grandstands End: 6.50pm
8 - Rest Road Start: No Action, 6.55pm
9 - Rest Road - No Action, 7pm
10 - Rest Road Ends - Action restarts,7.05pm
11 - St Marys Street: 7.10pm
12 - Cornhill - Restricted Access. 7.15pm
13 - Cornhill - Restricted Access. 7.20pm
14 - Cornhill - Restricted Access. 7.20pm
15 - Cornhill - Restricted Access. 7.20pm
16 - High Street, Squibbing approx 10.30pm
17 - High Street: 7.25pm
18 - Penel Orlieu. 7.30pm
19 - Mount Street. 7.35pm
20 - Mount Street. 7.40pm
21 - Northgate. 7.45pm
22 - Procession End. 8pm
What roads will be closed?
From 8am: Cornhill, High Street, Lamb Lane, Clare Street
From 9am: Parkway
From noon: Knowle Road, Trevor Road
From 1pm: Broadway From Salmon Parade to Eastover, Monmouth Street from Broadway to Cross Rifles.These roads should re-open by 1.30pm.
From 4pm: Bath Road From Kingsdown to Cross Rifles, Monmouth Street, Broadway from Monmouth Street to Taunton Road Old Taunton Road (North), Taunton Road from Broadway to St Mary Street, St Mary Street, Cornhill, High Street, Penel Orlieu, Mount Street Northgate, The Clink, East Quay, Wylds Road Bristol Road from The Drove to Cross Rifles together with various side roads access points e.g Eastover from Church Street, etc.
Where can I watch from?
Be prepared to stand for a long period of time (unless you have booked a grandstand seat/hospitality). Please do NOT stand in the road. And be warned that you may have to arrive early in order to get the best vantage point
Where can I park?
A number of official carnival car parks will be available across the town the day. The following car parks will be open from 2pm:
- Bridgwater Hospital
- Blake at Northgate
- Wickes, Wylds Road
- Morrisons, Broadway
- West Quay, Northgate
- Polden Bower School, Bower Lane
Car parks at St Matthew’s Field, West Street and Bridgwater and Taunton College, Bath Road, open at 10.30am. Parking costs £10 for cars and £20 for minibuses. All car parks must be cleared by midnight.
What about park and ride?
Park and ride schemes will run from junction 23 at Dunball at the HPC and junction 24 of the M5 at the livestock market site. Buses will run from the site entrances to the town centre and they will return after the procession picking people up from the position they were dropped off.
The park and rides operate from 2pm-11.30pm. The cost is £16 per car including the fare for all passengers.
Vehicles must be removed by midnight when the sites will close. Both will be operational from 2pm until 6pm from the parking facility to the town and then from 9pm until midnight from town to the site.
The service will run until 11.30 pm. A carnival spokesman said: “Thanks to Buses of Somerset, our very popular park and ride schemes will be fully operational. Some people said they had to wait for a bus to take them back to the car park, so this year we are putting on extra buses for the return trip which will hopefully alleviate this situation.”
There is also the option to travel to / from / around Bridgwater for the carnival via the 21 Bus
Can I get the train to Bridgwater?
Yes! Residents will be able to travel via the Great Western Railway service to Bridgwater. The town centre is just a short walk from the station.
Is it free to attend?
It is - but there is a but! Spectators are free to stand behind the barriers on the procession route. However be prepared to queue (for toilets, car parks, park and rides etc), and please be patient. However spectators are asked to donate to charity with collection vehicles on route. PLEASE give generously to the official charity collection which supports many local charities, community groups and also the future running of the event. You can donate in person, via text or online
What happens if it is raining?
Bridgwater Carnival goes ahead whatever the weather. Only if there are severe weather warnings, especially for wind, which would make it unsafe for the carts to travel, would the carnival not go ahead.
When and where will the squibbing take place?
The Squibbing Display is programmed to commence 30 minutes after the last procession entry crosses the finish line. Squibbing will be held in the High Street.
Squibbing is something very unique to Bridgwater, Squibbing is by definition the simultaneous firing of lots of large fireworks (“squibs”). Many people come to Bridgwater just to see the squibbing as it is an event that can be seen nowhere else on the planet.
In the region of 150 “Squibbers” are involved, typically members of the Carnival clubs. The Squibbers line the Bridgwater High Street (in a line of two wide) and all light their squibs at the same time. The effect is bright light being fired into the air along the road in one great long trail of fire.
The Squib itself is a large firework, strapped to a cosh (a solid block of wood which is attached to a large pole). The Squibber holds the squib at arms length above their head with the firework facing toward the sky.
How can I watch Bridgwater Carnival if I can't make it on the night
Yes the procession is filmed each year currently by Maniac Films and a DVD produced which goes on sale around a week after the carnival. The DVD and Calendar can be ordered online now.
There is also a Vimeo account where people can watch any procession from 1982 for a small charge. The procession is also streamed live over the internet as it comes around the Cornhill and supported by voluntary donations from people watching.
WHAT ABOUT TRAFFIC HEADING TOWARDS BRIDGWATER?
Motorists planning to travel on the M5 have been issued a warning ahead of a carnival taking place this Saturday. The Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival is the largest illuminated carnival in Europe, attracting up to 120,000 spectators.
Traffic levels are expected to increase between J23 and J24 on the M5 on Saturday particularly during the late afternoon and evening. Highways England has also warned that access into Bridgwater from J24 will be closed from 4pm on Saturday, ahead of the new carnival start time of 6pm.
