THE North Cornwall coast was dazzled with an array of colour last weekend as residents came together for Bude Carnival 2025.

The event, which has become a staple in the calendar of locals far and wide, saw the town’s population come together for a day of fun and laughter.

First held in 1920, this year’s event marked the town’s 105th carnival, and it was as good as ever.

This year’s carnival was a true celebration of imagination and community spirit – a vibrant nod to all that makes Bude brilliant. The theme? Simply “Carnival” – in all its fabulous, flamboyant glory. Think bold colours, creative flair, and a ‘more is more’ attitude… and the whole town embraced it.

The daytime festivities kicked off at Bude Rugby Club from 11am to 3pm, with a fun-packed fete that offered something for everyone. Throughout the day, the grounds came alive with entertain-ment from local talents including CJ Dance, Urban Streetz, Magic Martin magician who kept all ages smiling, and brilliant local bands. Visitors browsed a variety of tempting stalls, and plenty of fun entertainment for all. The children’s fancy dress competition was a highlight of the afternoon with entries Pokémon Kernow Style, Lilo and Stitch, Cupcake and Butterfly.

From there, the excitement continued to build as the floats began to arrive and gather in preparation for the grand parade. At 6.30pm, the much-anticipated procession rolled out from the Rugby Club – a dazzling array of colourful floats, imaginative costumes, community groups, local bands, carnival royalty, Citizen of the Year – Graham Hodgson, and our local emergency support vehicles winding their way through the streets.

A spokesperson from Bude Carnival Committee said: “The Carnival Committee would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all who helped bring this year’s event to life – including the Bude Rugby Club, local Army Cadets, the 4x4 Devon and Corn-wall Response Team for managing road closures, local marshals and Red Smart for all the printing. Thanks also go to the shops and businesses who advertised in the carnival programme and joined in the spirit by dressing their windows – the amazing window display winner was Toymaster.

“A special note of thanks and gratitude goes to our retiring committee members – Dick Dingle, Mary Rogers, Jenny Bowden and Sally Moulding – for their years of dedication and hard work. The carnival wouldn’t be what it is today without you.”

With so much creativity on show, there were plenty of award winners at this year’s event. Winners included:

Following such a successful event, many will already be looking forward to next year’s carnival, set for August 15, 2026.