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Carnival committee chairman David Robinson

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HUGE crowds flocked to Ilkley Carnival on Monday but organisers have warned it could be the last.

They say that the 21-year-old event will grind to a halt unless many new people come forward to join the committee in the next three months.

Despite Monday's huge success the Ilkley Carnival committee members say they have no alternative but to end the event unless their appeal is answered.

The organisers are even inviting local organisations to put volunteers forward or take over running of the carnival completely.

A number of the already sparse carnival committee are stepping down, with some moving out of the area.

The committee says it needs new people as fast as possible, as work towards the next event needs to begin soon.

A spokesman for the carnival committee said: "This year's carnival was a huge success and we hope that you as a community would all agree.

"All the parade entrants made an exceptional effort and great fun was had by all. Unfortunately, however, many carnival committee members need to stand down this year and we urgently need your help.

"If we don't enlist new committee members or other organisations who are willing to take over the organisation of the carnival within three months, we see no alternative but to end this fantastic day that seems to be reserved in everyone's calendar."

The carnival was set up in the 1980s to revive the community spirit and festivities once associated with the Black Hats verses White Hats' cricket match, started in Victorian times.

As well as providing an entertaining day out and attracting visitors to boost town centre trade, the carnival has raised £80,000 for good causes.

In the past three years alone, the carnival has given £31,000 to community groups and other schemes. The committee is expected to divide up money from this year's carnival to selected beneficiaries shortly.

Current chairman, David Robinson, has been involved with the carnival for 14 years, but wants to stand down because of family commitments.

He hopes to be able to see his son participating in another carnival next year, and wants to see the event's future secured long-term.

Mr Robinson said: "We need the community to look at this and say we want this event', and then people to come forward.

"There isn't a big enough committee. Another half a dozen people would keep it going another year, but ideally we need more, as people move or leave in future.

"We need a long-term fix to keep it running another ten or 20 years, not just a patch."

He denied that the carnival was having financial difficulties, pointing at the £31,000 the event has given to community groups in the past three years.

Mr Robinson said the decision to change the type of entertainment on the carnival field was not purely cost-driven.

Although in the past the carnival has attracted major spectacles, such as skydivers and medieval jousting, this year the main entertainment included clowns, a falconry display, schools football tournament finals, and a display by Ilkley Rugby Club.

"The entertainment this year was chosen because of it was thought better suited to the many young families who attend the carnival," explained Mr Robinson.

Anyone interested in being involved with the carnival can contact the committee online via carnival.ilkley.org.

Click here to see our gallery of carnival pictures

2:52pm Friday 9th May 2008

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