DEVIZES Carnival fortnight is well under way. The fun kicked off on Sunday with the picnic in the park at Hillworth Park.

Since its revival five years ago the carnival is firmly established as one of the principal events in the town's social calendar.

The free street festival on bank holiday Monday attracts hundreds of people to the town centre to watch top performers and musicians from 10am to 6pm.

The carnival has received funding from The Arts Council of England towards the street festival and costume making workshops to enable people and groups to make costumes so they can participate in the carnival procession.

It is the third year running that the Arts Council has given funding for the carnival workshops. At this year's workshops 150 people have been involved.

Local businesses have also provided funding of £7,000 to sponsor different events in the carnival but the carnival committee has to make up the shortfall and it relies on donations and sales of the carnival programme.

Ian Hopkins, chairman of Devizes Carnival, said: "We have retained all the traditional events in the carnival fortnight such as the quiz night and the confetti battle and added new events such as the picnic in the park.

"The street festival is free and we bring top performers and musicians to Devizes. All we ask is that people who come along and have a good time either buy a carnival programme, a raffle ticket or make a donation into the carnival buckets that will be around."

National 13, a band appearing at the street festival, is giving a free gig at the Southgate Inn, Potterne Road, Devizes, on Monday from 8.30pm.

The baby show is always a popular event and is on Tuesday at the Corn Exchange from 10.30am.

Entry forms are available from Terry's the Chemist in the Little Brittox.

At least 2,500 bags of confetti are being prepared for the confetti battle on Wednesday in the Market Place. Bryant Homes are the sponsors of the event which, Mr Hopkins believes is the only one of its kind in the country.

He said: "We have done extensive research and there used to be lots of towns which had confetti battles 20 or 30 years ago but now we believe Devizes is the only one left."

The Devizes BB Old Boys Band will entertain the crowd with Beating the Retreat followed by the confetti battle at 8pm. Giant confetti canons will signal the start of the battle.

The evening will be rounded off by a fireworks display and Jennings Fair will also be there.

The carnival culminates with the procession on Saturday, September 4 which, due to the carnival workshops, has grown in size.

To ensure the procession finishes before darkness descends it will leave The Green at 6pm and travel along Southbroom Road, Sidmouth Street, Maryport Street, New Park Street, the Market Place, Long Street, Bridewell Street, Hare and Hounds Street before returning to The Green.

Devizes Samba Band Oi Sambistas! will be in the procession along with the Devizes BB Old Boys Band, The Majorwrecks, the Melton Mowbray Toy Soldiers and the Rainbow Steel Orchestra from Bristol. Entries for the procession can be made on the day itself, and judging starts at 5pm. People can also get entry forms in advance from Devizes Books in Sidmouth Street and Scholars in the Little Brittox.

Tickets are selling quickly for the carnival gig on Friday, September 3 in the Corn Exchange featuring local band Amor. Tickets are available at Devizes Books and Sound Knowledge in Marlborough.