Ipplepen carnival club is looking for dancers to perform on its award-winning touring float.
The carnival club needs around 20 people who will be willing to strut their stuff on the Ipplepen carnival float for 2024 season, which runs through the summer and autumn.
Dancers don’t need to attend every carnival but they will need to learn a dance routine, attend costume fitting sessions and be able to get to and from the various carnival locations in Devon and Somerset. However, ‘experience isn’t necessary’.
Ipplepen’s carnival float is a popular fixture on the Devon and Somerset carnival circuits. As well as its home Ipplepen carnival on August 10, the carnival club also sends the float to Bovey Tracey and Kingsbridge and to the East Devon and Somerset carnivals including Bridgwater, North Petherton, Seaton and Axminster.
The carnival committee is also keen for more volunteers to help build its float over the next few months and are particularly keen to hear from painters and electricians.
Carnivals in the area have been struggling in recent years due to increased costs, difficulties in recruiting and retaining volunteers, and increased red tape Last week, Teignmouth confirmed it will not hold a carnival this year.
The number of carnivals in the South Devon Carnival Association has fallen from ten in 2019 to six this year. Ashburton, Dawlish and, most recently, Paignton have all downsized their carnival processions to walking-only. However, Ipplepen Carnival club seems to bucking this trend and has an active, year-round calendar of fundraising events.