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Photo: Ryde Carnival
The UK's oldest festival will celebrate the final night of the Island's carnival season tonight with a spectacle of light, colour and sound.
The Ryde Illuminated Carnival will conclude a summer of celebrations, featuring music, fashion and masqueraders.
Costumes have drawn influence from the likes of Trinidad, Rio, Notting Hill and Mardis Gras, whilst crowds can experience a flavour of music from Rio Samba, Trindad Steel Pan and local bands.
Claire Kay, chairperson of Ryde Carnival Association, is looking forward to the occasion.
"I would sum up Ryde Carnival as probably the best carnival on the Island. It is full of sound light, colour and fun.
"It's a place where you can let your hair down, forget about the woes of the world and everything.
"Just have a few hours and party, and party hard and enjoy it," she added.
Dating back to 1887, the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, Ryde Carnival is the UK's oldest festival.
Ms Kay admitted, however, raising enough money to put on each carnival each year is becoming more of a challenge.
"I think that the biggest issue that we're finding is that people now look upon carnival as just another form of entertainment.
"If we didn't have people who were actually giving their time free you'd be looking at over £62,000 for three carnivals just for this year alone," she added.
Alongside the Illuminated Carnival, Ryde also plays host to the Children's Carnival and Main Carnival, which took place earlier this summer.
Tonight's procession of the floats will begin at the Esplanade before following the length of Dover Street, heading towards the High Street and ending at the Boating Lake.
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