Carnival in town for Lord Mayor's Day

Plymouth City Centre will be bursting with live entertainment, magic shows, balloon making and jugglers as part of the celebrations to welcome in the new Lord Mayor on Saturday 14 June.

This year’s event, organised by Plymouth City Council in partnership with Plymouth University, will be centred around the theme of ‘The Amalgamation of the Three Towns’ – 100 years since Devonport, Stonehouse and Plymouth merged.

In the morning the new Lord Mayor, Councillor Michael Fox, will visit Plymouth University’s Community Open House event at Drake's Place Gardens and Reservoir, the day after its official opening, where an amazing programme of exhibitions and interactive activities will be taking place from 9.30am to 1.30pm.

Children can shoot a few hoops with the Plymouth Raiders, have their face painted or try out a Segway.

The Lord Mayor’s Day parade will leave the Drake's Place Garden area at 1pm and head down North Hill towards Cobourg Street. It will then cross the street and pass by Drake’s Circus, travel down Cornwall Street and turning into Armada Way before finishing on the piazza.

The procession will be led by the Plymouth Sea Cadets and will be followed by large carnival figures created by local school children, who will be dressed in costume, with the help of Stiltskin - Creative Arts and Theatre Company. Community groups and organisations will follow as the procession snakes through the city streets.

Over 40 different community groups and organisations will have stalls and displays around the Sundial and in New George Street, with the Hospital Radio providing the music in this area.

There will be musicians and artists performing around the city centre throughout the day, including students from City College Plymouth and dBs Music, entertaining crowds with a full musical programme in Place de Brest.

The day will also include a full stage entertainment programme on the piazza from 10am to 4pm, led by Heart Radio. It will include live performances from the Devon Dance Fusion, All Stars Theatre Group and the Devonport Park Community Choir.

A massive activity area will also be running in the Civic and Guildhall Square areas from 11am to 5pm, where the Stonehouse Playspace Association will provide a climbing wall, go kart area, crafts area and multi-use play equipment. There will also be vintage vehicles and model displays in this area.

Deputy Council Leader Peter Smith said: “This year’s Lord Mayor’s Day looks set to be another brilliant event, with loads of fun activities and entertainment happening throughout the day. We’re really pleased to be teaming up with Plymouth University’s Open House again to stage a celebration that really brings the whole community together. It’s great that so many schools, groups and organisations are showing their support and I hope that lots of people come out to join in the fun.

“The fun doesn’t stop here though, with so many events taking place this weekend people can go from the parade in the city centre, to the Hoe and waterfront areas to get involved in activities surrounding La Solitaire du Figaro and then onto the Jazz and Blues Festival on the Barbican.”

This year’s Lord Mayor’s Day is sponsored by Rowes Honda and Rowes Suzuki. A parade map and stage programme can be downloaded at www.visitplymouth.co.uk.

City centre car parks, including disabled parking facilities, will be open and buses will be running as normal. Motorists are advised that Armada Way will be closed outside the Guildhall from 7am to 5pm, as will New George Street, from the junction of Raleigh Street to Cobourg Street. Market Avenue, Market Way and the lower end of Cornwall Street will be closed from 1pm to 2pm as the parade passes through.