ONE of the biggest events in Ringwood’s annual calendar returns later this month.

The streets of Ringwood will be awash with colour and music for the town’s carnival on Saturday, September 21.

Thousands of people will line the streets for not one but two processions in one day.

An afternoon procession will be held at 2pm with an illuminated evening procession at 7.15pm.

Eye catching floats will come courtesy of local schools, clubs and societies as well as local businesses while the carnival queens and princesses are led by the Sampson’s Percheron horses.

Traditional marching bands will also pound the streets plus there will be classic cars, dance troupes and music from the popular Bournemouth Carnival Band.

Opening night, dubbed Big Night Thursday, will kick off the festivities when rides, excluding ‘extreme rides', at Adlams Funfair at Bickerley Green will cost £1 while the dodgems will cost £3 per car.

The funfair will be open between 6.30pm and 10pm on Thursday and Friday and from midday until late on Saturday.

The Village Green will also be returning to Bickerley Green this year with activities starting at 12pm on the Saturday.

There will be children’s games, stalls, arts and crafts, face painting, demonstrations and live entertainment.

There will be live music at the Lamb pub, the Crown Tap and outside HP Music on Southampton Road with Bournemouth Carnival Band performing an early evening warm-up at the Railway Pub and Kitchen. An after party with DJs will take place at Framptons.

A firework finale from Pains Fireworks at Bickerley Green at 9.30pm will end the day with a bang.

During carnival day, road closures will be in operation between 1.30pm and 4.30pm and 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

A carnival spokesperson said: “There is so much to look forward to on the day – a garden party at Greyfriars Community centre, pre-procession entertainment from Simon Chainey and his professional gang of street entertainers warming the crowds on the high street, trophies presented to winning procession entries in the market place, free face painting and live entertainment in the Furlong Centre.”