Whether you are a first time visitor to our Carnival or have attended many times before, you will find out Visitor Guide helpful. We want to make sure that everybody enjoys this amazing spectacle.
BEFORE YOU ARRIVE
This is a large event that attracts tens of thousands of visitors to a medium-sized rural Somerset town, so it will be
VERY busy!
Bridgwater Carnival goes ahead whatever the weather!
You do not need to buy a ticket to watch Bridgwater Carnival unless you wish to sit in a grandstand seat or enjoy a hospitality package (these have now all sold out). There is plenty of space to stand along the 1.7 mile long route.
Please DO NOT park illegally or inconsiderately. There are official charity park and rides, car parks and other public car parks. No overnight parking is allowed, this includes overnight parking of motorhomes.
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT.
Be prepared to queue (for toilets, car parks, park and rides etc), please be patient.
Wrap up warm and be prepared for wet weather just in case – it’s November!
Important to note that despite our best efforts there may be unofficial traders selling light-up toys, balloons etc on the
route. These are NOT associated with our carnival and no money comes to the event as a result.
Be prepared to stand for a long period of time (unless you have booked a grandstand seat/hospitality). Please do NOT stand in the road.
The illuminated carnival procession takes approximately two hours to pass any one point on the route and is a mixture
of carnival carts (some 100ft long!), walking entries (groups and individuals), marching bands and charity collection carts.
Sometimes unavoidable gaps appear in the carnival procession. We do absolutely everything we can to reduce these
but it is not always possible.
If you don’t like large crowds or noise, we recommend you watch our carnival online via our live stream.
Please don’t bring dogs or animals to our carnival unless they are for assistance purposes.
Mobile phone signal/service is often reduced during the event due to the sheer number of people in our town.
After the carnival procession finishes there is a unique firework display held on the High Street called ‘squibbing’. It gets
VERY busy in this area and squibbing is viewed entirely at your own risk.
Bridgwater Carnival is organised ENTIRELY by volunteers! Please respect our stewards, marshals and road crews as they are there for your safety.
Download our Visitor Guide for more information:
https://www.bridgwatercarnival.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/BGFC-Visitor-Guide-2026-Website.pdf
