A NEW summer carnival promises a big opportunity for Boscombe residents to show off their talents in July this year.

Based on the success of last year’s Christmas event, which started off in Pokesdown for the first time before parading to the precinct, organisers are putting together plans for a separate summertime festival.

They are casting the net more widely to try and involve more residents in the event through artistic workshops and an appeal for ideas as to the theme of the parade, which is planned to take place just before Bournemouth Carnival, although the date is not finalised.

Working alongside Boscombe Carnival veteran Cindy Jermon is local neighbourhood warden Amanda Catlin, who said: “The Christmas Carnival has been running for a few years now and is very popular.

“Particularly with Pokesdown included, the atmosphere was brilliant this year, and we wanted to build on that.

“People were saying: ‘Why not do something in the summer’ and we thought: ‘Why not?’

“It is something else positive for Boscombe which will get the community together, and we are seeking funding for workshops to get young people involved in the build up.”

She said she was hoping work on a planned ‘performance area’ in the precinct would be completed by July so local musicians would have a stage to show off their skills to residents and visitors.

Boscombe West councillor Phil Stanley-Watts originally suggested a summer carnival in the Daily Echo in November last year.

He said: “This is a great idea for Boscombe. A colourful cultural event which hopefully as many people as possible will enjoy.

“It will need to be well promoted and sponsored, but hopefully it will attract tourists into Boscombe to see what the area has to offer. The artistic community here is a great treasure and it would be wonderful to see them designing some interesting floats.”

The Christmas Carnival will continue to take place as well.