THE annual carnival procession that has brought joy to tens of thousands of local families and visitors in Marlborough over the years is facing a crisis.

At a special public meeting tonight the carnival committee, which is still without a chairman, will consider whether to have a procession this year, give it a miss until 2006 or wind up the event altogether.

The committee, which met last Wednesday, said it felt that a lack of volunteers, time, public interest and cash reserves meant that a procession was not viable this year.

Tonight's crunch meeting will be held at the Crown Hotel, at 7.30pm.