In pictures: Arbury Carnival ‘bigger and better’ than ever

There was a huge turnout at this year’s colourful Arbury Carnival, which took place on Saturday (14 June).

The mayor, Cllr Dinah Pounds, officially opened the event – the theme of which for 2025 was ‘This is the Greatest Show’.

The procession followed a different route from previous years, starting and finishing at Arbury Town Park, and going through Campkin Road, Hawkins Road, then back on Campkin Road, before returning to Arbury Town Park.

Stephen Doel, Arbury Carnival chair, said: “The weather was amazing and I think it was basically bigger and better. We’ve got some amazing feedback.”

Stephen said that the new route taken by the procession meant that “a lot more people came out to watch”.

“We had a lot more exciting things in the parade as well,” he said. “We had the Royal British Legion leading it, along with the mayor – who opened the carnival and the procession through a balloon arch that we’d built. She cut a ribbon to open it.

“And then just behind them was a float with Slimming World people all dressed up in circus outfits, because our theme was ‘The Greatest Show’ – and then behind them we had a Brazilian samba band who were just phenomenal.

“Following them were a bunch of schools – Kettle’s Yard have worked really hard with all the local primary schools, and Castle School as well, to design some amazing circus-themed costumes.

“They had strongmen, they had animals, they had circus tents – all kinds of stuff like that.

“We then had cheerleading groups from Victoria’s Academy of Dance, the Buckleton belly dancers, who are always part of it, and bringing up the rear we had Cambridge Regional College who had worked with Stagecoach, so their open-top bus was at the rear of the procession, being pulled by a couple of people dressed up as elephants.

“The other nice thing was we had a full age range, so we also had residents from Alex Wood Care Home join the procession, and also Woodlands Care Centre and army veterans.”