By Isle of Wight Observer
The Surbiton Youth Royal British Legion Marching Band stole the show, as it led the Sandown Illuminated Carnival parade on Wednesday night.
The band, paying its annual visit to the Island, put on a fine display for the thousands of people who packed the town to watch the event.
Carnival vice-chairman and Parade director, Ben Holbrook, said: “They were a real highlight, along with many others, on a really entertaining evening.
“We had lots of people and floats entering for the first time, which is the way forward in making the event even better, and it was our best entry level for years.”
There were plenty of floats on parade, with all the Island’s Carnival Queens making an appearance, along with the exotic costumes of Shademakers UK, with their ‘Danse Macabre’ performance.
Winning the Community Award was Farmer Ralph’s farming-themed float, and the IW Steam Punks were also in attendance, along with emergency vehicles from WightSAR, Sandown Fire Brigade, Coastguard, and Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat.
Other bands included the Medina Marching Band, a huge entry from RAW Samba, and Fat Samba.
Mal Butler