09/02/2009 by admin.

After a marathon months’ work on the Ryde Carnival Website, it has now been uploaded. You will notice that the colours and style are very different from previous years. The new design has been produced to reflect this years costumes colours which are black and red. We will be publishing more about this in the next month or so.

We have also managed at long last to get the Ryde Illuminated Carnival Photographs into an album, sorry for the delay, but well worth the wait. At the moment we are going over all the photographs that have been on the site since 2002 and will be producing a small set of albums for the years 2002 - 2007 these will have what we consider to be the best photographs from those years, this is to help with space on the server and make the site mangement easier for our site manager who spends 100’s of hours on the site over the year.

The site has been parred down so that it is easier for navigation and will also work on any browser, and older versions of internet explorer 5 and 6 for those who still use those systems. The site has been also tested on the new Eee PC mini laptop devices as well as mobile telephones and the iPhone/Google Phone.

We also check this site for use by users who are colour blind for all of the following defects:-
Deutanopia - red/green color blindness; no green cones
Tritanopia - blue/yellow color blindness; no blue cones
Grayscale/Achromatopsia - quick check for all forms of colorblindness
Atypical Achromatopsia -low cone function; cone monochromat
Protanomaly - anomalous red cones
Deutanomaly - anomalous green cones
Tritanomaly - anomalous blue cones

As well as the following coverage tests:-
coverage test in black - highlight filter limitations
coverage test in white - highlight filter limitations
coverage test in gray - highlight filter limitations

There are still the usual downloads available through out the website from Risk assessment spreadsheets to our Route Map that was redesigned last year. Please keep checking back for changes and updates. If you have any questions about the site or want to make a comment please let us know via our e-mail info@rydecarnival.co.uk

Posted in Raising Awareness, General | Print | 1 Comment »

09/02/2009 by admin.

Ryde Carnival Association are holding a 80s & 90s Night to raise funds towards the running of this years carnival.
It will be held at
Ryde Castle Hotel
on Saturday 11th April 2009
from 7.30pm - 12.00 Midnight
Tickets are £5.00 each and can be purchased from various venues in Ryde, including The Bagel Wrap and Fired Art.
Fancy Dress is optional
There will be a fund raising raffle with a variety of prizes.
All are welcome from the very young to the young at heart.

Posted in Raising Awareness, Whats on, General | Print | No Comments »

09/02/2009 by admin.

Ryde Carnival Association 2009 Selection Evening will take place on
Friday 3rd April 2009 from 7.00pm - 9.00pm
at the Carnival Learning Centre, Westridge Ryde.

If you are interested in becoming a performer for this years carnival we are looking for young women and men  aged from 12 to 21 years.
All are welcome to join us either on our float or our band of followers.

Posted in Raising Awareness, Whats on, General | Print | No Comments »

19/01/2009 by admin.

Ryde Carnival are pleased to announce the dates for the Ryde Carnivals:

CHILDRENS’ CARNIVAL WEDNESDAY 19TH AUGUST 2009
MAIN CARNIVAL SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST 2009
ILLUMINATED CARNIVAL SATURDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER 2009

Unlike previous year the carniavl dates for Ryde do not run during the last week of the Summer holidays, we have made these changes to work with the new school holidays, so that the carnivals can be enjoyed by everyone locally or visiting.

Posted in Raising Awareness, General | Print | 1 Comment »

28/12/2008 by admin.

Firstly, our friendly lawyers, said we had to accommodate everybody. What they really wanted us to say is this…

1. Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for (A) An environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday (northern hemisphere), practised within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all … and (B) A fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contribution to society have helped to make the UK great (not to imply that the UK is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.
2. By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes (or any other benefit) for himself/herself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
3. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

But seriously friends and supporters of Ryde Carnival, have a great holiday and we look forward to being part of your brighter carnival in 2009.

Posted in General | Print | No Comments »

31/08/2008 by admin.

Last night (30th Aug 2008) proved to be a wonderful evening of spectacle from the Massed band of 120 musicians for 120 years and the “Celebration” Queen costume at the front of the carnival to The Renegades of Rampage Mas Band from Luton.

The evening was everything we had all hoped the sun shone during the day leaving us with a balmy evening which lifted spirits. The crows was absolutely amazing with the streets packed with locals and visitors alike. People joined in from the crowd, they were entertained by RAW Samba prior to the carnival setting off in the high street. The Masses Band of 120 musicians marched ahead of the procession stopping on a regular basis to entertain the waiting crowds.

The Queen costume lead the rest of the parade with rapturous applause and cheering as the costume was spun giving the crowd a glittering  star  and balloon filled vision. The Ryde carnival float came out in full glory with bubbles flowing through the air and the horses lit from inside giving a surreal undersea glow, our young people partied away as usual. Then came the islands own community carnival group Mas Fusion with their outstanding Migoto Matsuri Festival of 120 members who danced and cheered their way around the route showing what a superb quality of carnival is achievable on the Island and proving that the Island is up there with the best designers and groups from the mainland.

Local schools joined in, including Ryde High School who produced a wonderful tableau with well choreographed dance routines that deserved all the applause and cheers they received. Greenmount Samba band headed by their brilliant headteacher Richard May  with their dancers showed just how far schools are able to encompass adults and children alike in carnival.  The beautiful “Butterflies and bugs” from Bishop Lovett worked wonders with their beautiful fluttering display of dance.  The Carnival Centre brought the wonderful “Earth Magic” troupe to the streets with a fabulous music and infectious dance routines again receiving cheers as they traveled the route.

“Santa’s Confused.com” thrilled us all with their wonderfully wacky take on global warming with prancing reindeer who kept collapsing due to heat exhaustion, Christmas fairies, elves, baubles and of course Mr and Mrs Clause with all the fun of the pantomime thrown in. Another brilliant local group was the Wight Strollers who’s “Biggles” tableaux produced some classic flight formations which the crowds absolutely loved.

The three visiting Mas Bands from London and Luton gave the carnival extra punch and thrill and were very well received with their fun and very energetic dance routines interdispersed with beautiful costumes ranging from giant wasps to beautiful butterflies, magic carpets and eastern promise, beautiful flags and banners. We are so pleased that they were able to join in our celebrations of what had to be the highlight of the carnival season on the Isle of Wight.

In between the various large troupes were the Queen’s Floats from the other Carnival Associations from around the island adding beauty and grace to the parade, it was lovely to see all of the floats  at the parade. There were also tributes to Abba with a group named “Mamma Mia” highlighting the never ending popularity of this group and of course the  film and stage show, there was also a “Thriller” group remembering that Michael Jackson was 50 on Friday. Grease was also represented by a group with Sandy and Danny dancing on the back of their car.  Ryde Extreme Performers walked around the route on stilts, as did a spectacular “Snow Queen” and two black devils. The local fancy dress-hire shop Masquaryde had a brilliant take on the jungle with warriors in African style costumes and stilt walkers. Not only the young took part, the Murphy Sisters dressed up as two badly behaved Nuns, who played some very funny tunes as they drove around on their scooters.

Previous Queen’s and their attendants joined members of the Ryde Carnival Association on an open top bus  to enjoy watching the parade from a different angle. Another open top bus joined the parade named “The Magic Bus” with dancers in fancy dress costume partying away. We also had an excellent tribute to the Shadows, namely the “5 O’Clock Shadows” who played Shadow’s music around the route. Ventnor’s Comic Jazz Band turned up and as usual entertained us with their eccentric behaviour, with one member turning up in a wheel chair having broken his leg.

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the procession, the excellent stewards who made the carnival run so smoothly and of course the public for watching.  We would love to hear any comments that you have about the carnival celebrations this year.

Posted in Raising Awareness, General | Print | No Comments »

30/08/2008 by admin.

The photographs of both the Ryde Main Carnival 28th August and the Children’s Carnival Processions will be going live this afternoon. If you wish to have a copy please e-mail us at info@rydecarnival.co.uk with the Photograph number and number of copies you require and we will organise for you to purchase them from our photographer.

Posted in General | Print | No Comments »

29/08/2008 by admin.

Ryde Carnival’s Procession Officer Brenda Livingstone has set up a Facebook group for past Queen’s and Attendants - This little site will have photographs of the Queen’s and the floats and anyone can add their photographs to it.Facebook Ryde Carnival Past Queen’s and Attendants page

Posted in Raising Awareness, General | Print | No Comments »

29/08/2008 by admin.

Yesterday evening saw the start of what should be the highlight of all the year for the island carnivals.

The procession was headed by a specially commissioned costume for the event which was a confection of Stars, Rockets and Balloons in shades of purpl, pink and sliver. RAW Samba wowed the crowds with their fantastic dancers and musics, then came the Ryde Carnival Float with it’s fantasy Seahorses riding the waves and our wonderful troupe of dancers in thier beautiful colourful costumes.
Local schools and community groups from the Ryde area and further afield put on a spectacluar display, intermingled with family costumed groups and individuals. Local Marching bands joined in with their traditional tunes and marching performances.

The floats that joined  the procession came from around the island including, Sandown, Ventnor, Cowes, St. Helens to name a few with their elegantly dressed Carnival Queen’s.

Other floats that joined us included “Santa’s Confused.com” which was built and designed by Binstead community group to highlight global warming. The Isle of Wight Strollers put on a brilliant display of “Biggles” with their actors flying along the route in Tiger Moths in wonderful choreographed flying formations.

The biggest group of the evening Mas Fusion ended the  parade with a fabulous display of Japanese Migoto Matsuri Festival with veiled travellers, flower bearers, Japanese  warriors, Peacocks and Herons with fabulous King and Queen individual costumes, this group is as good if not better that many of the Carnival troupes that come out of London’s Notting Hill carnival.

We would like to thank everyone who took part in what was a wonderful evening of entertainment and pure enjoyment. We would like to thank everyone who came to watch our first parade of the week.

Don’t forget the children’s parade is on this afternoon and starts at 1.30 pm Assemble in Upper Dover Street, Judging starts at 2.00 pm and the Procession moves off at 2.45 p.

Please come and support all the children at the event and don’t forget to give generously to the collectors.

Posted in Whats on, General | Print | No Comments »

27/08/2008 by admin.

We have been trying to get the photographs of the Ryde Arts Festival parade on line for weeks, but due to circumstances beyond our control it’s only been possible to sort them out today.

The photographs have been taken by our Publicity Officer Claire Kay and a number have also been contributed  by Mandy from Wight Studio.
If you wish to order a photograph please contact us via info@rydecarnival.co.uk stating the number/s and sizes required and we will let you know the cost and where to order them from.

Posted in Raising Awareness, Whats on, General | Print | No Comments »