Chinook flypast planned for Whaley Bridge Carnival

The parade will take over the town on Saturday June 28th and the chair of the committee says this is the biggest event yet.

Andrew Fox, said: “It just keeps getting bigger and better and more people want to be in the parade and we have so many entries from floats to walking floats to bands, dancers and steam engines.”

The carnival restarted with a new committee in 2022, after an extended break following covid.

Andrew said: “It’s great so many people are excited about the carnival, it gives us a chance to come together and celebrate Whaley.

“We have a fantastic team who have been working so hard to make the carnival the success it is.”

In 2019 when the dam at Toddbrook was cracking the village was saved by the work of the Chinook.

Andrew said: “When the carnival started back up I knew I wanted to get a Chinook fly past.

“I have emailed them every year explaining how important the helicopter is to us.

“This year I sent pictures of some of the Chinooks we have around the town and they got back to me with a yes.

“So weather permitting we will be getting an RAF Chinook flypast at 3.45pm which is amazing.”

The fun will start at 12.45pm when the Whaley Waltz run takes place, this will be followed by the parade which will leave at 1pm from Canal Street, down Market Street, along Buxton Road to Horwich End, left then back up Old Road and on to Market Street again.

There will be the New Orleans Strollers, Northenden Pipe Band, Barlow Red Barrows and the Powderkegs Morris all in the parade as well.

Then the fun will continue at the Transhipment Warehouse.

Andrew added: “The people bringing the fair say there will be a new ride which is the biggest one to ever be in the basin area so that’s exciting.”

The committee has also organised a qr code so they can collect donations digitally this year.

The first year the carnival raised £3,000 and last year £4,000 and this year the group would like to top £5,000.