What a disappointment for the audience, the organisers and participants! There just wasn't the usual atmosphere without any sunshine. Look at the grey skies here!
I couldn't get the shots I wanted because there wasn't a single spare place along the barriers anywhere, so I was behind people and couldn't get a clear view. That's my problem for not turning up early enough I suppose :)
Holding the camera above my head sort of worked but wasn't ideal...
.. especially as it was drizzling all the time once the floats actually reached us, and I didn't want to get the camera wet. Look how dull these pics are! I only took 4 shots and gave up.
I'm not entirely sure the floats were as impressive as last year's, but that could be just the poor viewing conditions. I liked the Durrell float,the Chinese themed winner, and one or two others but compared to the Beatles and circus floats last year...?
Without the sunshine and heat to make us all laid back and more forgiving of delays and boring bits, it was just tedious. The music and entertainment was lacking, the dancing around the floats was half-hearted and uninspired. The commentary made no sense unless you were right by the posh seats. The bands were few and far between. I was grateful not to be deafened too much by loud music this time, but the whole package simply failed to deliver as a summer carnival.
It's just not the same without the sunshine making the colours dazzle and the people happy. I suspect that climate change has made great summers a thing of the past and this must be one of the final nails in the coffin for this daytime parade. The night parade seems like a far more promising spectacle now, as it would take strong winds or rain to ruin that, and the atmosphere is usually better anyway. People who work for a living get to attend, the float builders have had a rest and a good night's sleep, the judging is over, there's less worry about the floats and everyone lets their hair down and has a good party making the most of the last chance to parade.
I'm not criticising the organisation... well, not much because this was mainly a moan at the weather.... but I do think that if more attention was paid to the amount of visual and audible stimulation available at all times, keeping things moving, then the whole thing would not only be a lot better when the weather is favourable but there might just be enough entertainment value to carry it through the dull years. The management just seem to rely too heavily upon the float builders and add little else to it. There could be so much more going on, involving the whole community. Dare I suggest looking at other carnivals elsewhere around the world and seeing what makes them tick?
As usual it was a far better spectacle in the evening, with more atmosphere. The crowd was actually cheering, waving and dancing a bit - whereas it just doesn't generate the same enthusiasm in the cold light of day.
By far the best float, the Optimists were "Rollin' on a River" and the whole float was rocking! Brilliant, just brilliant!
