‘SOLD OUT’ 2024 BRIDGWATER CARNIVAL CONCERTS BEGIN
Last night (Monday 30 September) the curtain opened on the 2024 Bridgwater Carnival Concerts.
Over 600 local carnivalites are performing at Bridgwater Town Hall at the annual popular concerts, which run from Monday 30 September until Saturday 12 October.
The event is officially sold out, with all 3,600 tickets for the 12 performances snapped up by the end of August. This year’s concerts are being sponsored by FCS International Shipping Ltd, with MEH Alliance sponsoring the souvenir programmes, and Anderson and Wall sponsoring the front of curtain act auditions.
It is exactly 141 years since the carnival concerts were first held in the town. The concert was first staged back in 1883, after the carnival committee at the time organised an evening of entertainment to raise enough money for fireworks and squibs to be let off as the carnival procession passed over the new town bridge, which was to be opened on carnival day.
Nowadays, the concerts are traditionally seen as a curtain raiser to the eagerly anticipated annual carnival procession which this year takes place on Saturday 2 November.
Here are some other ‘number’ facts about the 2024 Bridgwater Carnival Concerts:
1) Over 600 performers take part in the 4 hour show which is being held for 12 nights. These performers consist of 26 different acts – 12 x carnival clubs, 2 x dance troupes, and 12 front of curtain acts.
2) During the 12 nights, the stage will be in use for performances for a total of 40 hours and 24 minutes. Throughout the period, each club and dance troupe will perform on stage for 102 minutes (1 hour and 42 minutes).
3) 108 different songs will be sung every night at the carnival concerts.
4) 12 backstage crew, 4 sound and lighting operators, and 2 programme sellers, are in the Town Hall making sure the show runs smoothly every night. These are supported by a team of 25 stewards, including a Chief Steward and Assistant Chief Steward, throughout the concert fortnight. 112 stage lights have
been installed for the concerts, and a total of 29 radio microphones are used every night by the cast.
5) 9 judges are on duty throughout, including 2 who will be judging at the carnival concerts for the first time. 16 trophies are on offer for those taking part.
6) 50 different companies and individuals have donated prizes for the nightly raffles which are taking place in the 2024 carnival concerts. Since the concert raffle was introduced in 2007, it has raised nearly £35,000 for carnival funds.
7) In the past 18 years, the following carnival clubs have won the top prize at the Bridgwater Carnival Concerts:
Gremlins CC – 6
Ramblers CC – 5
British Flag CC – 3
Vagabonds CC – 2
Renegades CC – 2
8) 2024 sees Brian Epps celebrating 31 years of being a judge of the Bridgwater Carnival Concerts. Including this year’s show, Brian has judged an incredible 903 different shows by carnival clubs, dance troupes and front of curtain acts in that time.
