ROLL up, roll up as thousands are expected to descend on Thornbury this weekend for the town’s third annual carnival.

Organisers hope Thornbury Carnival 2011, being held this Saturday, July 2, will attract more than last year’s 13,000 record crowd.

David Goldring, chairman of the Thornbury Carnival Committee, said: "Thornbury should brace itself for a real, spectacular carnival on Saturday, enough to delight, entertain and amaze the crowds, with something for all tastes and ages, celebrating a wide spectrum of Thornbury’s talent, and also that from surrounding areas."

The day’s events kick off with the street parade at 11.30am leaving from The Castle School, along Park Road and up Castle Street onto the High Street.

This year’s parade, being led by the Band of the Royal Logistics Corps, will include classic cars, the Caribbean Melody Steel Band, representatives from local schools, Brownie groups, cadet organisations, Thornbury Town Band and Bristol’s Pipes and Drums band.

From 1pm the Mundy Playing Fields will open with more than 150 stalls, a funfair, as well as performances by Dursley Male Voice, the King Edmund Acro Gymnasts, a beer tent and a six-a-side soccer tournament.

During the afternoon there will also be a flypast by a Bulldog pair of acrobatic planes from Kemble Airfield.

"The wet weather plan is to get wet. We shall continue whatever the weather," said Mr Goldring.

There are road closures in place from 8.30am to 2pm affecting Park Road, Castle Street, The Plain, High Street, Chapel Street and St Mary Street. The Castle Court Car Park and the St Mary Street Car Park will also be closed during the road closure times.

There is no public car parking on the Mundy Field site, and only limited disabled parking the Rock Street Car Park and the overflow field at the Leisure Centre are available.