It’s that time of year when the quiet village of South Zeal is turned into a melee of music and lights. On Saturday, October 28 the village’s annual carnival will take place.

Events kick off at 1.30pm at the Kings Arms for the afternoon procession when children will be able to showcase their dressing-up talents in whatever costume they choose.

The parade will make its way to the recreation ground, where the judging will take place and carnival prince and princess Elsie and Roo will be crowned.

The road through the village will be closed from 4pm for the carnival’s evening events.

The main event will begin at 5pm when the carnival will line up along the main street and at 6pm the judging will commence.

There will be a wide range of prizes up for grabs including best artistic, best comic, best trade, best original, best topical and best visiting royalty floats.

There will also be prizes for best individual walker, best walking pair, best walking group and best illuminated walking group.

Entrants will also have the chance to walk away with one of the challenge cups, which include best children’s, best visiting, best young farmer, best walking, best local and best overall float. Any floats participating will be offered £20.

At 7pm the carnival procession will make its way, led by the royalty, to Sticklepath where it will turn and make its way back to the village.

This carnival committee is also super excited to bring you Street Heat, a samba band, who will do a short performance just above the line up of floats, before they join the procession.

The road will reopen at 9pm, but the committee has reminded residents and visitors that vehicles will need to be moved off the road while the closure is in place.

South Zeal Carnival is particularly special, said committee member Vicki Watkins, as it is one of the few small village carnivals that still take place and has now been held every year for the past 45 years.

Anyone who wishes to enter the carnival can contact the committee via the Facebook page or by calling 01837 840946.