Old Town Carnival Week is going virtual

Hastings Old Town Carnival Week 2019: Hastings Carnival procession SUS-191108-093231001

Organisers say it is impossible to go ahead with social distancing and crowds of thirty or less.

The annual extravaganza of zany challenges, music concerts, the famous pram race and Hastings Old Town carnival usually brings the whole community together.

It is usually a real boost for local businesses and raises usually over £6000 for local charities from the various activities.

Hastings Old Town Carnival Week 2019: Hastings Carnival procession SUS-191108-093732001

Carnival Chair Keith Leech said: “We really thought back in May when Jack in the Green was cancelled that by now we would have been ok to do our carnival. This thing is just dragging on and on.

“I feel really sorry for local businesses who are losing a fortune over this. Local charities will miss out and the community is missing one of its biggest parties of the year.

“This has been a horrible year for Hastings with its well known events. It runs on these and its music, it just makes me so sad.”

Rather than do nothing the organisers of the Old Town carnival week events have got together with Isolation Station Hastings to put on a week of virtual activities to reflect what usually happens.

Keith said: “Its been a lot of hard work, harder than running the carnival. I would particularly like to thank Isolation Station Hastings, The Stable Theatre, The Old Hastings Preservation Society, The Two Towers Trust and the wonderful Hastings Old Town carnival Committee for coming together to put on this week.

Everything will be going out on the carnival website hastingsoldowncarnival.co.uk and on the Hastings Old Town carnival Facebook page alongside also going out on Isolation Station Hastings who will have a daily show with Lily Kim and G-Mak.

Highlights of the week include a Virtual Old Town Olympic Games on Thursday, Afternoon tea, The annual Winkle Club crazy golf tournament, a daily story from The Stables Theatre, Virtual Old Town tours and Carnival Day its self. There is a Just Giving page for donations. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hotca.