VOLUNTEERS and sponsors are being recruited by Weymouth Carnival organisers to ensure the success of the three-day extravaganza in 2021, which is estimated will cost around £80,000 to stage.

The event will be returning in 2021 following a two-year absence - and will be spread over three days for the first time.

The annual carnival ceased running in 2019 with the then-organisers citing a lack of funds as the reason for the cancellation.

The new organising group formed a community interest company in January, with the aim of becoming more self-sufficient.

The team will be hosting an event on Thursday, August 13, to create an open forum with the public, allowing them to raise questions and share ideas, whilst also recruiting volunteers for next year’s carnival.

The introductory event will take place outside Debenhams, in the town centre, from 10am until 5pm.

John Simpson, vice chairman of the Weymouth Carnival Group, said: “The idea of the event is to launch and promote the carnival as well as recruiting volunteers.

“We need as many volunteers as we can get hold of, particularly on the procession day as we’ll need to cover the whole route and everything else that’s going on throughout the day.

“Hopefully we can get plenty of people down there on Thursday and put their names down to volunteer even if they can only spare a couple of hours over the weekends.”

Weymouth Carnival is scheduled to take place from August 13-15 2021, featuring live music and activities. Organisers are also hoping to book a performance from the Red Arrows display team.

Weymouth Carnival Group is also appealing for sponsors to help fund the event. Sponsorship packages will be available on request on Thursday.

Mr Simpson added: “We want to bring back the traditional kind of carnival, complete with barrel rolling, a tug of war and a lot of fun activities to get involved in alongside the performances.

“It’s going to cost about £80,000 to put this event on, with it being a three-day event as opposed to a the usual one day. We’re in talks with potential sponsors to bring in the funds we need. We have big plans but it’s very much still in the organising process.

“We want people to get themselves behind us and support the carnival. If we pull this off, then it’s going to be one heck of a big party.”