A WEEK of special events in Woodley launched on Sunday and will end in a special Carnival celebration this weekend.
And with quizzes, classic cars, fairgrounds, dog shows, live music, fairground rides and a flower show there’s something for everyone.
The first event took place in the Memorial Ground next to Coronation Hall on Sunday.
Praise In The Park was organised by Churches Together In Woodley, and was a special church service that included music, puppets and refreshments.
On Wednesday (7), brother and sister Liz Rogan and Paul Wainwright will host a fundraising quiz night. The duo appeared on BBC TV show Pointless on 2014 but will be looking for the team players who score the highest points for this fun event which takes place in The Oakwood Centre.
Tickets cost £10 and include a fish n chip supper. Teams can have up to eight players in them and there will be a cash bar selling beer, wine and soft drinks to thirsty puzzlers.
They can be purchased in advance from Woodley Pets.
Also taking place the same day is the annual primary school High 5 Netball Festival. This runs from 5.30pm to 8.30pm at Bulmershe School and is organised by Woodley Netball Club.
Saturday, June 10 is Carnival Day itself and there will be the annual procession with a theme of Trains, Planes and Automobiles. It will leave the airfield in Comet Way from noon and snake its way through the town to the Carnival grounds by 2.30pm, and prizes will be presented to the best float and walking display.
The Procession will be headed up by the carnival queens, Chloe Wheeler (12), runner-up Chiya Braithwaite (10), princess winner Eden Day (8) and runner-up Evie Burrows (8).
Many of the groups taking part will be collecting for their own charities and spectators are asked to have spare change ready to donate to these good causes.
There are two distinct parts of the carnival fun itself. There is an afternoon event, which then gives way to a music night with fireworks in the evening.
The Carnival takes place in the Memorial Ground and the gates open from noon. There will be a range of activities to watch or take part in including a petting zoo, a charity five-a-side football match, flyball for dogs, the Smiley Train taking rides through the fields, dance displays from the Allied School of Dance, the Glee Club and JG Dance, gymnastics displays from Bulmershe school and performances for the Bulmershe Ensemble and Woodley Primary Schools Choir.
Classic cars will be on show courtesy of the Hants and Berks Motor Club.
Around 1.45pm, there will be a Spitfire flypast, weather permitting and in the carnival site there will be a full-scale replica of a Second World War Spitfire, helping to mark Woodley’s historic links to the famous planes.
In the evening, there will be performances from rockabilly band Mike and the Rockbelly, rock ‘n’ roll party band The Shelf Side and Madison Heights, who perform classic soul and Motown hits.
The evening ends with a firework finale, set to music.
Entry for the evening event costs £10 for adults, £5 for children, while under threes get in free.
And there are also three events taking place in The Oakwood Centre. Members of the Loddon Vale Railway Club will exhibit some of their dioramas showcasing model train layouts, Woodley Flower Club will prepare some fantastic floral arrangements and Woodley Photographic Club will present entries from its recent contest.
The Carnival will raise funds for four charities: Wokingham Link Visiting Scheme, Woodley First Responder Group, WADE day centre and Woodley Food Bank.
For more details, log on to www.woodleycarnival.org.uk
