The pandemic has had a massive impact on carnivals up and down the coast – leaving them scrambling to find marching bands due to losing members and simply not being able to perform.
However, last weekend still saw crowds returning for the return of Chapel St Leonards Carnival (see page 15) – and all hopes are pinned on that success being repeated in Skegness this weekend.
“We have lots of floats and entertainers – we even managed to get a marching band,” said committee member Ady Findley. “It’s going to be a parade of people, so come and join us – it’s going to be amazing!”.
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There is no shortage of nostalgia surrounding Sunday’s parade, which is billed as a ‘proper royal celebration’.
TV and stage celebrity Dee Dee Lee, from Skegness, is planning to give a proper royal performance by joining the parade in her Jubliee Union Flag dress.
Her appearance will be a tribute to her great-grandfather Fred Stamper, also a Variety artist, as it comes 109 years after his most famous appearance in Skegness dressed as Ghandi.
Fred’s amazing impersonation was so good that no one knew,” she said. “At the train station he had porters greeting him, the red carpet, the buffet, even the police stopping the crowds and traffic on Lumley Street.
“He told everyone just who he really was at the Pier Hotel. Everyone was cheering. In the parade he raised a lot of money for Skegness Hospital.”
For Janice Sutton, who has always had floats at the carnival, this year’s parade will bring back bittersweet memories of her late husband, Ivan.
“The arrangement of our carnivals and all the publicity was something that Ivan did for us every year,” Janice said. “We’ll miss it for sure – but the stock truck is we hope to be there.”
This year’s Carnival Parade on Sunday 14th August starts from the Tesco car park at 1pm. They drive along Richmond Drive, Lumley Road and turn left at the Clock Tower to go along the sea.
Anyone wishing to take part in the parade should go to Tesco before 1pm.
