A happy face at Devizes CarnivalIN the days before the National Health Service, local health services had to be paid for by donations from rich benefactors or determined fundraising by the doctors and nurses themselves.

Devizes Carnival began as a means of raising money to support the work of the town's hospital and it continues to raise valuable cash for voluntary groups within the town.

But carnival is all about having fun and for a fortnight at the end of August and beginning of September, there is plenty to be had around the town.

It is still a traditional carnival and many of the events have been running for as long as anyone can remember cribbage, darts, skittles and fishing tournaments; the carnival tea dance and, of course, the confetti battle.

This used to be a highlight of many carnivals but it is thought that Devizes is the last to host one. The rules are very simple. You buy bags of confetti and throw it over your friends. It may seem a bit pointless but don't knock it until you've tried it. It's a lot of fun.

The carnival moves with the times and in 1999 a street festival was introduced, bringing to the town some of the best street performers and performance artists.

With grant aid from the National Lottery and the Arts Council, the organisers have been able to transform the Market Place into a lively circus, with thousands of visitors delighting in the sudden appearance of monstrous ants, living inflatables, tumblers, stilt walkers and comic creations.

Another major event in the town's calendar is Devizes Festival, which attracts professional musicians, writers, actors and artists from all over the world to a varied programme of events for two weeks in June.

Recent visitors have included feminist Germaine Greer, historian John Julius Norwich, former foreign correspondent Sir Max Hastings, critic Sheridan Morley and bands like The Strawbs.

This year the festival welcomes BBC news presenter George Alagiah, satirist Jeremy Hardy, poet Wendy Cope, the Bronte String Quartet and the Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Coming up this summer is a ten-mile run, called the Kennet Kanter and the Devizes Food and Drink Festival in September.