ORGANISERS are promising the biggest festival of fun the town has ever seen when Halesowen Carnival returns next month.

Back for a fourth year since its reincarnation, the 2018 edition – taking place on Saturday, July 7 – is expected to attract thousands of visitors.

This year’s event – which will once again include a music festival – will start in the town centre at 10am with music from Black Country Radio, plus a variety of performers.

Highfield Allotments are joining the event for the first time by opening their gates to the public where they will host a themed scarecrow event on site as well as selling their own produced honey and plants.

The main event gets underway at Highfield Park from noon, where the Mayor of Dudley and Halesowen councillor Alan Taylor will introduce this year’s ‘Carnival Royals’ to the crowds.

The Carnival King is 23-year-old rapper Josh Smith, the Carnival Queen will be 24-year-old Ellen Douglas, while the Carnival Princess has been named as eight-year-old Alana Thomas.

There will then be live music from a wide range of acts, while Simon Cowell look-a-like Andy Monk we be introducing the two winning acts from the ‘Halesowen’s Got Talent’ competition – dance group MYDC and 12-year-old contortionist Harriet Littlehales – before the overall winner is chosen.

Also at the carnival will be the ever popular food and drink festival which was new last year, a free to enter fun dog show, dog agility, wrestling, martial arts and a large variety of stalls, as well as loads of inflatables for the children and adults and fairground rides.

Stuart Henley, chairman of the carnival committee, who organise the event voluntarily, said: “The carnival is growing year on year with the amount that is put on and the crowds that attend.

“More than 7,000 people attended last year’s carnival and we’ve added even more this year with the introduction of Halesowen’s Got Talent and Highfield Allotments getting involved.

“It is great to be part of this event and bring this to Halesowen.”

People who attend the carnival are being encouraged to share their videos and photos on the event’s Facebook page, or on Twitter using the hashtag #HalesowenCarnival.

For more information about Halesowen Carnival and Music Festival visit www.halesowen-carnival.com.

Any Halesowen events throughout the year which would like the one of the ‘Royals’ to attend, or anyone who would like to sponsor next year’s carnival, should email halesowencarnival@gmail.com.