Bridgwater Carnival was now well and truly established in the community and has continued to grow and prosper ever since. Since 1881 there have been many memorable moments in the growth and development of carnival in the town. Here are just a few of them in a history timeline:
1892
The Home Office became concerned about the manufacture of Bridgwater Squibs in homes throughout the town. The committee decided they could not be responsible for staging the carnival with the threat of a considerable fine being imposed if this practice continued. An underground movement was formed to ensure the carnival went ahead which it did!
1902
Bridgwater celebrated the coronation of Edward VII by re-enacting the Royal procession with a long series of tableaux which included a replica of the magnificent State Coach, correct in every detail and drawn by eight cream coloured horses
1903
First electric light bulbs used on an entry in the procession. Until now, the carts (floats) were illuminated with paraffin lamps, carried alongside the entry.
1909
Bowing to pressure from the business community, the committee decided that future carnivals would be held on the Thursday nearest 5 November (Thursday being early closing day in the town) instead of 5 November itself as had been the custom.
1924
First cup, the Ker Cup, presented to the carnival to be competed for annually by the gangs.
1925
The area around the Cornhill was laid to tarmacadam, improving the road surface for the rapidly increasing motorised transport. Unfortunately, this material burns easily, especially under bonfires, and so the carnival committee reluctantly abandoned the Cornhill bonfire, thereby extinguishing forever its closest link with the events of 1605.
1948
Horses used for the last time to pull a carnival club entry.
1949
Carnival Concerts increased to twelve performances.
1958
Only eight Bridgwater clubs competed in this year s carnival and it seemed as if the diminishing popularity of participating in the event was due to the ever increasing appeal of watching television!
1974
Carnival Calendars printed and sold as souvenirs for the first time.
1982
Bridgwater Carnival was captured on film and video copies made available as souvenirs.
2001
To maintain its position as the country s premier carnival, the organisers of the parade decided that it would be held in on a Friday in future, the first change in the day of the festivities since 1909. This change inevitably also saw the demise of Black Friday, a day of celebrations for carnivalities, a tradition which first appeared in the early 1960s. However resilient carnivalities now hold their celebrations on the Sunday after Bridgwater Carnival.
2005
The Spirit of Carnival statue was unveiled on the Cornhill in October of this year. This permanent reminder of the importance of the carnival to past, present and future generations of people stands proudly on the spot where it all began 400 years ago.
2010
The Bridgwater Carnival Centre opened in the High Street where an exhibition reflecting the
history of carnival is displayed, information on carnival events can be obtained and tickets for
the Carnival Concerts and Grandstand seats can be purchased.
2012
Bridgwater Carnival officially moved to the first Saturday in November. This change was
implemented to boost popularity, increase charity donations, and encourage more visitors,
allowing for a better family experience compared to the previous Friday night slot.
In the same year, 208 squibbers took part in a simultaneous squibbing display on the
seafront at Weymouth to mark the opening of the 2012 Olympics. The town was hosting the
Games’ sailing competition.
2016
Live streaming of Bridgwater Carnival across the globe. This initial broadcast enabled
viewers to watch the procession on YouTube via the official Bridgwater Carnival website.
The initiative was a collaboration between the carnival committee, Maniac Films, Somerset
Web Services, and others, offering a digital, charity-supported experience for remote
viewers.
2019
Bridgwater’s new link road ‘Squibbers Way’ was officially unveiled in December with a
spectacular squibbing display. The Guy Fawkes cart was the first vehicle to travel the length
of the new road.
2022
Bridgwater Carnival was represented at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant which celebrated the
70 years reign of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Members of 17 carnival clubs came together to
create the entry ‘Jubilation’ which paraded through the streets of London on 5 June with 142
carnivalites included in the entry.
