When is Carnival Day?
Doddington Village Carnival is on the morning of the first Saturday in July each year, and the parade reaches throughout the village.
Why do you have a Carnival Prince and Princess?
For decades, there has been a Carnival Prince and Princess, who help to present the Carnival each year. Children can put themselves forward, and we (randomly) select a Prince and Princess, who get a luxury carriage to be driven around the village in style, and head-up the Parade Procession. More information is available on the Prince and Princess page of our website.
How does Doddington Village Sports & Carnival raise money?
We raise money by running various fundraiser events, such as Discos, the annual Santa Run, Pub Quizzes and more! Wherever we are, we carry a collection bucket with us and would always very much appreciate the donation but we're not in the habit of forcing a donation from anyone.
Which are the roads closed through the village, and why?
The main road through the village will be closed from 9am to 12pm on the day of the Carnival. This is an official Highways road closure, which is enforce by law. As such, we cannot permit cars to drive through once the roads are closed, and doing so may even invalidate your insurance if anything were to happen. More information is available on the Road Closure page of our website.
What are the Scarecrows for?
It's been a long-standing tradition in the village to have a competition to see who can build the best scarecrow. It's fun to do, can be done with or without children, and it's great for everyone else to see the amazing short-lived works of art. Also, the scarecrows are built based around the theme for that year, so everyone is collectively working to a common thread.
What is a 'Santa Run'?
In Doddington, the Santa Run is where we invite Santa Claus to join us for a 3-evening tour of the village, whereby children of all ages can come out and tell Santa what they would like for Christmas. In early December, when the nights are dark and cold, a festive visit from Santa brings out the smiles from everyone. More information is available on the Santa Run page.
Where can I park in Doddington?
First of all, if you're coming from out of the village, remember that the Road Closure will prevent any vehicles coming into the village between 9am and 12pm on the day of the Carnival. Once you're here, you can park in and around the village itself, as long as you don't park too close to where the lorries are being prepared or need to turn around. We have lots of (free) parking on the Recreation Field on Benwick Road, which is where the Children's Sport Afternoon is held from 1pm, or you are able to park at the Doddington Hospital, also on Benwick Road.
Donations - how much goes to the Carnival?
The short answer, is all of it. 100% of all monies raised, in whichever fundraising event that we run, goes directly to the next year's Doddington Village Sports & Carnival day. There is more information on our Donations page.
Can I help you do anything?
Yes, we would really like that! It doesn't matter what you're able to offer, but any time you can spare us is very much appreciated. We're all volunteers too, and sharing a little work around makes a big difference. It doesn't need to be a full-on commitment and can be anything you want it to be. If you already know someone who helps out with the Carnival, give them a nudge or use the contact details below. Either way, it would be great to hear from you.
Where can I find out more?
You can find out more about us in several places online, such as Facebook, Instagram, in the local Doddington Diary or you could join our email newsletter! Links to all of these are below, but if in any of these places there's something that you still can't find out, please do drop us a line and we would be happy to help.