Next weekend will be a riot of colour and fun as this year’s Hatherleigh Carnival is set to take place on November 12, complete with tar barrels, parades and a town criers’ competition.

The carnival will begin on Friday evening (November 11), when the children’s procession of the unlit tar barrels will take place, followed by live music, organised by H-Town Events Limited, from Hatherleigh All-Stars, Rock Steady and DJ Heavy Silas in the town square.

Carnival goers will need to get up early. Saturday’s events begin at 5am with the first tar barrel run, which will see participants chase and follow lit tar barrels through the town.

At 1am, the Town Hunt will meet in the square, followed by the Town Criers’ Competition at 11:30am. Over 20 town criers from across the country are expected to participate in the event.

Hatherleigh residents and visitors can expect to see decorations in the windows of houses and shops pop in this coming week for the window display competition, which members of the public will judge. The winner will be announced at the carnival.

The crowning of the royalty and children’s parade will happen after lunch. Hatherleigh’s primary school children will dress as superheroes, and the Brownies will dress as Lion Kings.

The day will end with the main procession, which will begin at 7:30pm and be followed by the second tar barrel run if it is deemed safe.