Before 1987, each of the three villages ran its own summer fete — small affairs with a tombola, a tug of war and maybe a brass band if one could be booked. They were pleasant enough but limited by what one village hall committee could organise alone. It was Pelsdon's fete committee that first suggested joining forces with neighbouring Bramcote and Thorncliffe, mostly to share the cost of hiring a funfair rather than each village settling for a handful of coconut shies.
The first joint carnival ran in the summer of 1987, with a single small procession looping between all three villages and a shared funfair pitched on Pelsdon Recreation Ground, which has hosted it every year since. It was popular enough that by the early 1990s the fireworks display had been added, funded by collection buckets carried along the procession route.
What started as a few dozen procession entrants has grown into one of the larger community events in the area, with local schools, the scout and guide groups, sports clubs and several small businesses building floats each year. The procession route now takes the best part of two hours to pass, and the funfair runs across both Saturday and Sunday rather than a single afternoon.
Through it all, the carnival has stayed a genuinely volunteer-run event. The committee is made up of residents from all three villages, meeting monthly through the spring to plan road closures, book the fair and organise stewarding — all on top of their regular jobs.
Funds raised through collection buckets, stall pitches and programme sales are split between the three villages each year, supporting everything from playground repairs to youth group minibuses. A full breakdown of the previous year's fundraising is usually published in the carnival programme, available on the day.
Want to be part of it? See how to get involved, or check the schedule for this year's dates.