Ramblers Carnival Club has been crowned overall winner of this year’s Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Concerts.

The club gained the highest number of points from the judges for its stage show ' Welcome to the Rock'.

It’s the third time in six years – excluding the Covid period – that the club has won the top prize. Ramblers CC also won the Millennium Cup for best stage setting and the Les Manley Cup for most improved club.

James Venning, Stage Captain of Ramblers CC, said: “When you consider the extremely high standard of all clubs, dance troupes, and front of curtain acts at this year’s concerts, this is without doubt one of the club’s proudest ever achievements.

“We are of course over the moon with coming first, and I would like to take this opportunity to also congratulate all of the other clubs and acts on their amazing performances over the past two weeks.”

More than 600 carnivalites performed in the two-week run of concerts that started on Monday, October 2. There were 26 different acts – 12 carnival clubs, two dance troupes and 12 front of curtain acts.

Gremlins CC were overall runners-up with Wonderland (Le Travelling Show), and joint third were British Flag CC with Grimm Ever After and Renegades CC with Carnaval Del Barrio.

Wills CC were the highest placed tableau club and won the Sam Hooper Cup after coming joint 9th overall with Coppelius’s Toy Theatre.

Marketeers CC were awarded the Suffragettes Cup for best costume, and the Arthur Rainey Cup for best comic act.

Sally Williams Dancers won the Starkey Cup for their show Amazonia - Our Wonderful World, while The Vixens were awarded the George Bown Cup for the best song, dance, musical or novelty act and the Athletic Sports Cup for best vocal (2 or more).

Simon Newton won the Judges Cup for best single vocalist, and Daisy Mae Lee took the Bert Snook Rose Bowl for the best 17 and under front of curtain act and the Reg Dyer Cup for best personality.

Mike Crocker, Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival President, said: “Special thanks go to every single person who has been involved and who has supported the 2023 Bridgwater Carnival Concerts. This show has been truly amazing, and my congratulations go to the winners for their well-deserved success.

“If the concerts are anything to go by, we are in for a real treat on carnival night and when the carnival comes to town on Saturday 4 November”.