ILMINSTER Carnival is set to return this weekend.

The procession, part of the South Somerset Carnival Federation, will kick off at 7.15pm on Saturday, October 5.

Each year carnival clubs, dance troops, majorettes and other keen participants take part in the entertaining event.

A number of roads will be closed to allow the participants to safely make their way through town.

The B3168 from Box Stone Cross to the junction of Townsend will be closed for the lineup from 2.30pm.

From 2.30pm, Townsend heading out of town towards Kingstone will be one-way only, it will be closed to incoming traffic at the junction of Moolham Lane Junction.

East St, Silver St, West St, then onto Station Road will close from 6.15pm, and there will be no parking along these roads at all as it is the procession route.

From Hort Bridge to Riec sur Belon Way will be closed from 6.45pm.

A spokesperson from Ilminster Carnival Committee said: “In past years when we have had a lot of congestion after carnival this has been caused by people parking where the yellow cones are.

“They are put there for a reason, we don’t put them out for fun. If there are yellow no waiting cones, please do not park there.

“There are several car parks in the town, we run one at the doctor’s surgery along on Canal way parking is available here from 4.30pm with a small charge that goes into running the carnival.

“After the carnival if you have parked in any of the side road off the procession route, when you are allowed to move you will have to go in the direction of Yeovil you will not be allowed to go towards Taunton.”

The spokesman added the committee has no control when the roads will be reopened, as responsibility lies with the police to open the roads when it is safe to do so.

The procession is the second of its kind to take place so far this year. It follows Wellington Carnival which took place on September 28, and will be followed by Chard Carnival on October 12, and Taunton Carnival on October 19.

The federation is once against using the CarniApp which allows people to vote for their favourite entries.

Official sellers will also be at each procession selling light-up toys. The committee is urging people to buy from them to ensure money goes back into running the carnival each year.