Haltwhistle Carnival to return to town in July 2023

The carnival is one of the biggest events in the town’s social calendar and sees dozens of separate events take place as carnival day itself approaches.

When Nancy Brewis was crowned as Haltwhistle’s first ever carnival queen in 1936, she was quite rightly treated like royalty for a day.

The peak of the event was perhaps the 1950s, when a clock went up on Main Street with a dedication to Haltwhistle Carnival printed on its dial.

Carnival Princess Sophie Barker with her attendants Finn Watters and Katie Varty at the Carnival (Image: Hexham Courant)

In the latter stages of the 20th century, the long-standing event took a breather before being relaunched in 1989 by the Haltwhistle town twinning committee, to celebrate the town’s partnership with French town St Meen le Grande.

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Haltwhistle Carnival Wheelbarrow race in 2013. Weekly Shop entrants for the Fancy Dress, from the left Aimie Doswell, Catherine Nixon and Lisa Doswell (Image: Hexham Courant)

In 1991, a dedicated carnival committee was set up, and has continued to organise and raise funds for the event.

Haltwhistle Community Campus Lower School with an underwater theme for the fancy dress procession (Image: Hexham Courant)

Speaking in 2013, Haltwhistle Carnival chairman Michael Peacock gave an insight into the event before handing over the reins to his successor, Michael Glenwright.

The dancers of the Moulin Rouge in the Carnival procession (Image: Hexham Courant)

He said: “We have a two week programme of events leading up to carnival day, and this creates a lot of excitement.

Rebecca Oliver, Penny Scarth and Abbie Railton get into the spirit at Haltwhistle Carnival (Image: Hexham Courant)

“The bunting goes up well in advance, and people know what is around the corner. It’s a special feeling.

The official start of the Haltwhistle Carnival in 2014, as the Duck Race begins from the blue bridge, finishing at Alston Arches (Image: Tony Iley)

"We are fortunate that we have a good team of volunteers. In some cases they organise their work patterns around getting things done, or running a tombola stall.

Haltwhistle Community Campus Lower School with an underwater theme in 2013 (Image: Kate Miller)

"The enthusiasm and commitment is tremendous. People spend months making floats and fancy dress outfits, or they will come out at midnight for a charity walk.

“The carnival and everything surrounding it is so popular nowadays, it is just as relevant as it was half a century ago.”

Haltwhistle First School at the Carnival in 2019 (Image: Kate Buckingham)

Carnival day is a culmination of a week-long programme of events, which over the years has included a tea dance, children’s discos, a duck race, a party in the park, a car treasure hunt and an open bowls competition.

Haltwhistle Community Campus lower school's staff float had a magical theme in 2016 (Image: Hexham Courant)

In 2016, the carnival field was populated by a car boot sale, a petting zoo, and fun dog show, as well as the vintage vehicles.